Beijing escalates response to Japanese PM’s Taiwan remarks

Sino-Japanese ties are going from bad to worse.

To get you up to speed: On November 7, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told Japan’s parliament that a “Taiwan contingency” could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan – potentially triggering the mobilization of its defense forces.

Over the past few days, Beijing has made its displeasure known by:

• Summoning Japan’s ambassador in Beijing to lodge "serious démarches" on November 14 (Xinhua)
• Issuing a travel advisory warning citizens to avoid Japan due to “significant risks” on November 14 (Yicai)
• Posting warnings on the tourism ministry (MoCT) and education ministry (MoE) websites telling Chinese tourists and students to avoid Japan on November 16 (The Paper)
• Conducting Chinese Coast Guard “rights enforcement patrols” through waters around the disputed, but Japanese-administered, Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands (Reuters)
• Sending three PLA Navy warships through the Osumi Strait near Japan's Kyushu and Ryukyu Islands earlier in the week (SCMP)

The cynic says: Beijing is seizing an opportunity to pander to the domestic base by chest-puffing toward age-old enemy Japan.

The realist says: Takaichi’s remarks signaled a meaningful shift in Japan’s Taiwan posture – leaving Beijing little choice but to hit back hard.

We say: Either way, China-Japan ties look doomed while Takaichi’s in power.

• Don't be surprised if the spat bleeds into trade and broader economic frictions.