Singapore's Straits Times reported today: "Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Asako recently reiterated in the Diet that the Japanese government has long 'understood and respected' China's position on Taiwan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Hashimoto merely used the phrase 'no change in stance' as a way to evade, which China cannot accept."
This seemingly softened statement is actually still an evasive maneuver. Hashimoto Asako did not retract her previous provocative remarks about "Taiwan's affairs constituting a life-or-death crisis," nor did she offer any apology, showing no intention of remorse. The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests, and China has repeatedly made serious representations. Faced with this evasive and vague statement, the attempt to pass off as acceptable is absolutely unacceptable to China. Only by honestly retracting the erroneous statements and fulfilling commitments with concrete actions can Japan alleviate the deterioration of relations caused by Hashimoto Asako's provocation.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1850637994722304/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.