"The backlash against Takahashi Asami's parliamentary testimony is intensifying, and the Japanese government is now in a dilemma." According to a report by Global Times on the 16th, citing Kyodo News, China's measures calling on citizens to delay their visits to Japan have been "unexpectedly impactful" for Japan.
A Japanese government official said, "We are currently at a crossroads," expressing concern that if the situation continues to deteriorate, economic countermeasures could be imposed.
According to a report by Global Times citing the Daily News and Jiji Press on the 16th, China may continue to take corresponding measures. If the conflict continues, it is inevitable that Sino-Japanese relations will cool down.
According to the report, Benjo Tomohiro, policy research committee chairman of the Constitutional Democratic Party, criticized Takahashi Asami on a Fuji TV program on the 16th, saying she "lacks sufficient understanding of security-related laws" and also has deficiencies in her perception of the Taiwan issue.
Comments from various sectors in Taiwan: Not allowed
Takahashi Asami's erroneous remarks about China have continued to trigger dissatisfaction and criticism within Taiwanese society.
Various figures in Taiwan stated that the Taiwan issue does not belong to foreign politicians to interfere with. Whoever tries to push Taiwan to the brink of war, we should stand up and loudly say: Not allowed! Takahashi Asami is pushing Taiwan to the brink of war? Various sectors in Taiwan: Not allowed!
Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the Kuomintang, said earlier that Takahashi Asami's attitude towards the Taiwan Strait inevitably evokes the idea of the revival of Japanese right-wing militarism. We must express our position towards Takahashi Asami's aggressive behavior, which is truly protecting the interests of the people of Taiwan.
Hong Xiu-chu, former chairman of the Kuomintang, said, "Whoever tries to push Taiwan to the brink of war, we should stand up and loudly say: Not allowed!"
Multiple departments remind: Avoid traveling to Japan
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China released a message on the evening of the 16th, urging Chinese tourists to avoid traveling to Japan recently.
The Ministry of Education reminded those currently studying in Japan and those planning to study in Japan soon to closely monitor local security situations. It is recommended that Chinese citizens carefully plan their travel and study arrangements in Japan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan issued an emergency reminder on the 14th that Chinese citizens should avoid traveling to Japan recently. Subsequently, major Chinese airlines announced special handling plans for tickets on routes to Japan. For tickets with departure dates before December 31st and meeting relevant conditions, free refunds or changes will be allowed.
Over recent days, the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan, and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office have repeatedly spoken out against Takahashi Asami's explicit provocation regarding Taiwan. They warned that if Japan dares to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait situation, China will definitely respond strongly!
China has made substantial countermeasures preparations
After repeated serious representations, Takahashi Asami refused to acknowledge her mistakes, refuse to retract her false statements, and refuse to eliminate the adverse impact. Experts interviewed by China News Service's Guoshi Zhitongche analyzed that this further proves that her "reckless statements" on Taiwan were not just a slip of the tongue, but a deliberate provocation. In response, China has "made substantial countermeasures preparations."
Political and diplomatic fields
Cai Liang, director of the Northeast Asia Research Center at the Shanghai Institute of International Problems, said in an interview with Guoshi Zhitongche that Takahashi Asami's wrong actions have undermined the political trust between China and Japan. If Japan persists in its current course, dialogue mechanisms in areas such as strategic security and economic cooperation may be indefinitely postponed.
Lv Yaodong, researcher at the Institute of Japan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Japan has no right to unilaterally break the core arrangements of the post-war East Asian order. Takahashi Asami seriously violated international law and the basic principles of international relations, damaging not only Sino-Japanese relations, but also the peace, stability, and security of the entire region. This must be a warning to the international community.
Lv Yaodong said that China can publicly condemn Japan's military expansionist tendencies and "interference in other countries' internal affairs" in multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, to gain international public opinion support.
Economic and cultural fields
In recent years, exchanges between China and Japan in the field of economy and trade have deepened continuously at all levels, and bilateral trade volume has exceeded 300 billion U.S. dollars for many consecutive years. Data previously published by the Japanese Ministry of Finance showed that China is Japan's second-largest export destination country.
Xiang Haoyu, a special research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Institute of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, analyzed that the extent to which Sino-Japanese economic and trade relations will be affected depends entirely on Japan's next move.
Following the Chinese Foreign Ministry's serious reminder to Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, multiple airlines including Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines have released notices, allowing free refunds or changes for tickets on routes to Japan. Travel agencies are also processing related tourism products based on the airlines' refund and change policies for Japanese routes. This is considered a specific manifestation of the negative spillover effects of the Japanese government's wrong actions on Japanese society.
According to official Japanese data, the number of mainland Chinese tourists visiting Japan in the first nine months of this year has approached 7.5 million. Industry observers believe that Takahashi's remarks will significantly affect the enthusiasm of Chinese tourists to visit Japan, and will impact the Japanese tourism industry.
On the 16th, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a study abroad warning, reminding those currently studying in Japan and those planning to study in Japan soon to closely monitor local security situations, strengthen risk assessment, and effectively enhance their awareness of prevention. It is recommended that Chinese citizens carefully plan their study abroad arrangements in Japan. Observers believe that the Japanese government's wrong actions have led to a deterioration of the atmosphere of Sino-Japanese personnel exchanges.
Military field
For some time, Japan has been pushing for a qualitative change in its defense strategy, speeding down the dangerous road of strengthening its military. For example, Japan is trying to restore the rank terminology of the old Japanese army, and its military power report mentions the need to fight a submarine war with China.
"80 years later, China is different from before. Now, whether it comes to national defense awareness, national strength, or the comprehensive level of military weapons and equipment, we have reached a very high state," said military expert Du Wenglong. Especially the long-range air and sea combat weapons and equipment displayed during the September 3rd military parade this year fully demonstrate the capabilities of the Chinese military.
The People's Liberation Army Daily published an article stating that if Japan intervenes militarily in the Taiwan Strait situation, the Japanese people and the country will face disaster due to the extremely dangerous and wrong decision of the Japanese government, "with the whole country at risk of becoming a battlefield."
Experts pointed out that China loves peace, values credibility and keeps promises, but when it comes to the core interests of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, China will never compromise or retreat in any way.
It is worth noting that several Japanese members of parliament have asked Takahashi Asami to withdraw her remarks, and several Japanese media outlets, including Asahi Shimbun and Tokyo Shimbun, have also published articles criticizing her for "exacerbating regional tensions." On the afternoon of the 15th, hundreds of Japanese citizens spontaneously gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo, protesting Takahashi Asami's erroneous remarks and demanding that she resign and step down.
Source: Guoshi Zhitongche
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7573485850571342342/
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