BEIJING/TOKYO - Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong summoned the Japanese ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi on Thursday, making serious démarches over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding China.

In the Diet last week, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made provocative remarks on Taiwan which imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait. Despite China's serious démarches and protests, she still refused to change course and take back what she had said, Sun said, noting China is strongly dissatisfied and has made serious démarches with the Japanese side.

Sun pointed out that Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan are extremely wrong and dangerous, which grossly violates the international law and the basic norms of international relations, seriously undermines the post-war international order, seriously goes against the one-China principle, the guiding principles set forth in the four China-Japan political documents, seriously undermines the political foundation of China-Japan relations, and seriously hurts the feelings of the Chinese people. 

“The 1.4 billion Chinese people will never tolerate this,” he said. 

Sun stressed that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests and is an untouchable red line and bottom line. Taiwan is China's sacred territory. Taiwan affairs are purely China's internal affairs. How to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people to decide and brooks no interference by any external force.

Pointing out that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan, Sun said that 80 years ago, the valiant Chinese people, after 14 years of bloody battles, defeated the Japanese invaders. 

“Today, 80 years later, anyone who dares to interfere in China's reunification cause in any form will surely be dealt a heavy blow by China," Sun added.

China once again urges Japan to deeply reflect on its historical crimes and responsibilities, immediately reflect and correct its mistakes, withdraw its bad remarks, and not go further down the wrong path. Otherwise, all consequences must be borne by Japan, Sun noted. 

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Japan must immediately correct its wrongdoing and retract unjustified remarks related to China's Taiwan, otherwise, all the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the Japanese side, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday.

"That constitutes a blatant interference in China's internal affairs, a challenge to China's core interests, and infringement on China's sovereignty. China firmly opposes and will by no means tolerate such remarks," Lin said at a regular press briefing.

"The attempt by the leader of Japan to wade into cross-Strait affairs is a serious affront to international justice, a blatant provocation to the post-WWII international order, and a great blow to China-Japan relations," he said.

"If Japan should dare to meddle in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression and definitely meet a firm response from China," he said. "We will firmly exercise our right to self-defense under the UN Charter and international law and defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The Chinese spokesperson warned the Japanese side against playing with fire on the Taiwan question. "Those who play with fire will perish by it!" Lin said.

Lin noted that despite China's serious démarches and protests, Takaichi still refused to change course and take back what she had said.

The wrongful remarks grossly violate the one-China principle, the guiding principles set forth in the four China-Japan political documents, and the basic norms of international relations, he added.

"Japan committed innumerable crimes during its colonial rule in Taiwan. Over the last century, Japanese militarists have waged aggression more than once under the pretext of 'survival-threatening situation.' For example, Japan brazenly created the September 18th Incident under the pretext of exercising the right of self-defense," Lin said, adding that Japan's aggression against China inflicted untold suffering on the people of China, the rest of Asia, and the wider world.

"What's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi up to by reviving the phrase 'survival-threatening situation'? Is Japan going to repeat its past mistakes of militarism? Does Japan try to once again make enemy with the Chinese and other Asian people? Does Japan attempt to subvert the post-WWII international order?" Asked the spokesperson.

Stressing that Taiwan belongs to China, Lin said how to resolve the Taiwan question and realize national reunification is a matter for the Chinese people to decide and brooks no interference by any external force.

"Our message to Japan is clear: Japan must fully repent for its war crimes, immediately stop its wrong and provocative statements and moves that interfere in China's internal affairs, and stop playing with fire on the Taiwan question," he said. 

Also on Thursday, Japanese former prime minister Shigeru Ishiba criticized Takaichi's recent remarks regarding Taiwan during a radio appearance.

Ishiba said in the radio program on TBS that Takaichi's comments were "very close to claiming that a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency," adding that previous governments had consistently avoided making definitive declarations on how the government would respond to specific scenarios regarding the Taiwan question.