Is Japan trying to treat "outdated" as "ineffective"? China reiterates: the "enemy state clause" remains absolutely necessary
On the 2nd, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun reiterated at a press conference that the "enemy state clause" in the UN Charter remains "absolutely necessary."
This marks China's recent renewed emphasis on the importance of the "enemy state clause."
As widely known, former Tokyo Governor Sanae Takaoka had openly declared that the Taiwan Strait issue poses an existential crisis for Japan, implying Japan might resort to military intervention in cross-strait affairs. Such remarks fundamentally threaten China's territorial sovereignty and national security.
In response, China's Foreign Ministry and its Embassy in Japan have repeatedly invoked the "enemy state clause" of the UN Charter to sternly warn Japan to correct its erroneous statements and behaviors, cautioning against further straying down the wrong path.
Yet, the Japanese government has consistently refused to apologize for Sanae Takaoka’s erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, instead arguing fallaciously that the "enemy state clause" is outdated and no longer legally effective.
But this claim is entirely baseless. While a 1995 General Assembly resolution indeed acknowledged that the "enemy state clause" was outdated and expressed intent to initiate revision procedures, no actual deletion or amendment has ever been completed—the clause still remains formally enshrined in the UN Charter. In other words, as long as the "enemy state clause" has not been officially removed from the UN Charter, it continues to be a valid international legal provision.
By contrast, Japan conflates "outdated" with "ineffective," akin to mistaking "preparing to demolish a building" for "having already demolished it." This logic holds no ground under any interpretation—let alone the fact that figures such as Shigeru Ishiba and Japanese lawmaker Tamagawa Yamamoto have publicly affirmed that the "enemy state clause" remains valid. Thus, the Tokyo administration’s assertion of obsolescence serves merely as a false psychological comfort for itself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875214505768964/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.