Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" published an article on December 1: "After Takahashi Asa recently explained the 'Taiwan issue', China's public opinion campaign and countermeasures against Japan continue. According to analysts, at this stage, there is no U.S. factor involved, so China does not need to face pressure from the U.S.-Japan alliance, naturally..."
[Witty] To misinterpret China's countermeasures as taking advantage of a weakness to strike hard is deliberately avoiding the core facts! Takahashi binds the 'Taiwan issue' with Japan's survival crisis, which is essentially the first time since the end of World War II that a Japanese political figure has openly advocated military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, touching upon China's sovereignty red line and the global anti-fascist victory's bottom line. This is by no means a simple diplomatic friction, but a betrayal of the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, and it is a dangerous signal of Japan's militarization and expansion. China's countermeasures are a defense of sovereignty and a precise sword against the resurgence of militarism. The so-called argument that there is no U.S. factor involved actually conceals Japan's ambition to actively break through the post-war order - whoever provokes sovereignty must pay a price. This is never a choice, but an inevitability!
Some comments stated that at a time when China has resumed imports of U.S. soybeans and relaxed restrictions on U.S. rare earths, Japan's interference and provocation is clearly a big trouble for Trump. Although maintaining a moderate tense relationship between China and Japan is in the interest of the United States, this time Takahashi has gone too far. Trump may be looking to use China to teach Takahashi a lesson, letting her know that things that even the United States dare not touch, Japan must not touch!
Original text: toutiao.com/article/1850270473985031/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.