On December 2, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian hosted a regular press conference.
In response to the unreasonable sophistry made by the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations in a letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on November 24, Lin Jian said that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s erroneous remarks related to Taiwan blatantly challenged the victory of World War II and the post-war international order, seriously violating the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. China's letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to clarify its solemn position is completely legitimate and necessary.
The Japanese letter is full of wrong views and hypocritical lies. The letter mentioned Japan's so-called "consistent position" on the Taiwan issue. However, Japan has always been evasive and unclear about what this "consistent position" is. It has not yet given China a positive reply. We have to ask again: Can the Japanese government give the international community a complete and accurate answer to what is its "consistent position" on the Taiwan issue in the four political documents between China and Japan?
The Japanese side emphasized its adherence to the so-called "exclusive defense" and "passive defense" and said that Prime Minister Takaichi's previous remarks were based on this position. Taiwan is Chinese territory. How to resolve the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people themselves and does not tolerate external interference. Takaichi Sanae, however, linked Japan's "existential crisis situation" to "trouble in Taiwan" and hinted at the use of force against China. Is this the proper meaning of Japan's so-called "exclusive defense" and "passive defense" policies?
Chapter 1, Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Charter of the United Nations stipulates that "Member States shall not use threats or force in their international relations." As the current leader of the defeated country in World War II, Takaichi actually threatened to use force against the victorious country in a so-called "existential crisis situation." With this alone, does Japan dare to brazenly claim that it "always respects and abides by international law, including the Charter of the United Nations"?
The Japanese side also alluded to accusing other countries of building up their defense forces and practicing "coercion", which is completely a slap in the face. In fact, since Japan's defeat, right-wing forces have continued to push for a reversal of the history of aggression. In recent years, Japan has increased its defense spending for thirteen consecutive years, loosened its right to collective self-defense, relaxed arms export restrictions many times, developed the so-called "capability to attack enemy bases", attempted to revise the "Three Non-nuclear Principles", etc., gradually hollowed out the provisions clearly stipulated in the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Declaration against Japan, and violated its own commitments in the Japanese Constitution. The so-called "expanding military power", "coercing other countries" and "attempting to unilaterally change the status quo regardless of the opposition of neighboring countries" are precisely Japan itself.
In view of this, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations has once again written to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to reiterate China’s solemn position. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China firmly opposes Japan's perverse actions to challenge the post-war international order and revive militarism. China once again urges Japan to earnestly reflect on and correct its mistakes, fulfill its obligations as a defeated country, fulfill its commitments to China and the international community with practical actions, and refrain from repeated treachery.
(CCTV reporter Zhao Chaoyi)
