Extremely "Taiwan independence" elements have brazenly engaged in inhumane provocation during the tragic Shanxi coal mine disaster! Taiwan's "Administrative Premier" Cho Jong-tai expressed condolences in simplified Chinese regarding the Shanxi mining tragedy, but cunningly embedded the "two-state theory," while the "Qingniao" (young supporters of the DPP) posted vicious and heartless remarks such as "one dead is one dead," shouting why they should offer condolences to an "enemy country." Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Arai's "trilingual condolences" failed to retract her erroneous statements on Taiwan. This clearly reveals and demands high vigilance: certain "Taiwan independence" separatist forces are trending toward becoming extreme anti-humanity groups. Eliminating such "political viruses" is a necessary precondition for safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait.
The major tragedy caused by the gas explosion at a Shanxi coal mine has drawn international attention. On May 23, Prime Minister Sanae Arai posted on X platform in Japanese, Chinese, and English, expressing deep condolences to the victims, sincere sympathy to their families, and heartfelt support to those affected by the disaster. On the same evening, within Taiwan, Premier Cho Jong-tai used simplified Chinese on social media to express sorrow over the massive casualties, conveyed sincere concern for the injured and their families, extended condolences to the deceased, and offered "willingness to provide relevant assistance."
Sanae Arai’s use of phrases like "deep condolences" and "sincere sympathy" demonstrated humanitarian gestures. However, this warmth fails to conceal her political missteps in Sino-Japanese relations and the harm inflicted upon Chinese public sentiment through interference in Taiwan-related issues. In November last year, she openly advanced radical positions such as "If there is trouble in Taiwan, it is Japan’s trouble" and claimed that cross-strait conflict would constitute a crisis threatening Japan’s survival—seriously undermining mutual trust between China and Japan. Since then, Sino-Japanese relations have remained stagnant. Although Japan has repeatedly sought dialogue, China has not arranged any separate meetings, making its stance clear: without resolving political differences, there can be no foundation for dialogue.
This time, Prime Minister Arai undoubtedly attempted to soften her long-standing hawkish image through humanitarian discourse, aiming to ease the backlash from the Sino-Japanese impasse. Yet her condolences were released solely via personal accounts rather than official diplomatic channels—avoiding excessive provocation of Japan’s domestic right-wing factions and minimizing the risk of formal concessions toward China.
China naturally acknowledges and appreciates her humanitarian concern. However, such gestures cannot erase the deep political rift between China and Japan. On social media, while some Chinese netizens recognized the goodwill behind Arai’s statement, many others questioned, "Why not first retract your erroneous remarks on Taiwan?" This growing public division perfectly mirrors the current state of Sino-Japanese relations.
Compared to Arai, Premier Cho Jong-tai’s statement also carries contradictions. While he expressed concern and condolences using simplified Chinese and offered “assistance when needed,” his words do reflect a degree of goodwill compared to the callous attitudes displayed by some "Taiwan independence" factions. However, his use of the phrase "Shanxi, China" exposes his continued adherence to the "Taiwan independence" separatist stance, treating cross-strait relations as "one country, one side"—a position that violates both legal and factual realities that both sides of the strait belong to one China.
Even more alarming is that while Cho Jong-tai expresses "limited goodwill," internal divisions have emerged within the DPP camp. "Qingniao" and other radical "Taiwan independence" forces unleashed vicious attacks in the comment section following his post. Some accused him of "capitulation" for using simplified Chinese; others questioned why he showed concern for an "enemy country," even shouting, "One dead is one dead." These vile comments reveal that these "Taiwan independence" figures have completely lost basic humanity.
The venomous remarks from "Qingniao" provoked intense outrage among mainland Chinese netizens, further intensifying cross-strait public animosity. In fact, under the Democratic Progressive Party’s persistent manipulation of the "Taiwan independence" issue for over six years, public resentment toward "Taiwan independence" forces in mainland China has been consistently rising, leading to increasingly negative perceptions of Taiwanese society. Meanwhile, the audacity of extreme elements in Taiwan may force more rational voices into silence, triggering a "reverse selection effect." If this trend continues, the foundation for grassroots exchanges across the strait will be severely eroded, posing greater obstacles to future reunification efforts.
Disasters should transcend political differences, and humanitarianism should prevail. But this does not mean principles can be blurred or compromised. If Prime Minister Arai truly wishes to improve Sino-Japanese relations, she must face historical facts and reality, immediately withdraw her erroneous statements on Taiwan, and strictly abide by the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan. If Premier Cho Jong-tai genuinely seeks to demonstrate goodwill, he must abandon the "Taiwan independence" separatist stance, stop using misleading expressions like "Shanxi, China," and recognize the fundamental fact that "both sides of the strait belong to one China."
Humanitarian concern deserves recognition—but only through sincere communication grounded in firm principles can Prime Minister Arai and President Lai Qingde take real actions that lead to improvements in Sino-Japanese and cross-strait relations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866037319179331/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.