China Condemns Japanese Prime Minister’s Remarks on Taiwan in Strongly Worded Letter to UN
21 November 2025 – In a formal letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador FU Cong, has issued a stern condemnation of recent remarks on Taiwan made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, labeling them “gravely erroneous and extremely dangerous.”
The letter, which has been requested to be circulated as an official document of the General Assembly, outlines China’s “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to comments made by Prime Minister Takaichi in the Japanese Diet. Ambassador Fu stated that Takaichi implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, marking several “firsts” since Japan’s defeat in World War II.
According to the Chinese letter, this is the first time a Japanese leader has officially advocated that “a contingency for Taiwan is a contingency for Japan” and linked this concept to Japan’s exercise of the right of collective self-defense. China views this as Japan’s first explicit ambition for military intervention in the Taiwan question and a direct threat of force against China’s core interests.
Violation of International Order and Law
The Chinese position, as detailed in the letter, asserts that Takaichi’s remarks constitute a “grave violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” seriously undermining the post-war international order. The letter references the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender as the legal foundation confirming China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. It further accuses Japan of contravening the UN Charter’s principle of refraining from the threat or use of force.
Breach of Bilateral Commitments
Ambassador Fu’s communication strongly emphasizes that the remarks represent a gross violation of the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan. The letter recalls the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, in which Japan recognized the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and “fully understood and respected” the position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. China states that Takaichi’s words and actions are “grossly inconsistent” with these solemn commitments.
Historical Crimes and Warnings
The letter draws sharp historical parallels, accusing Japanese militarists of historically using pretexts like a “survival-threatening situation” to launch aggression, including the 1931 invasion of China. It condemns what it describes as ongoing efforts in Japan to distort history, including worship at the Yasukuni Shrine, textbook revisions, and the denial of atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre.
The communication poses a direct challenge to Japan: “Does Japan try to once again make enemies with the Chinese and other Asian people?” and warns that Japan must “deeply reflect upon its historical crimes.”
Taiwan as a “Red Line”
Reiterating China’s unwavering position, the letter declares the Taiwan question to be “at the core of China’s core interests, and is an untouchable red line and bottom line.” It emphatically states that resolving the Taiwan issue is a matter for the Chinese people alone and “brooks no foreign interference.”
The letter concludes with a stark warning: any attempt by Japan at armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait would be considered “an act of aggression.” In such an event, China stated it would “resolutely exercise its right of self-defence” to firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
China has demanded that Japan “strictly honor its political commitment on the Taiwan question, immediately stop making provocations and crossing the line, and retract its erroneous remarks.”
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