Japan's move to mislead public firmly opposed

China reiterated on Tuesday its demand that Japan retract Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question, saying that recent statements made by the Japanese side indicate it is still reluctant to do the right thing and is deliberately creating trouble on issues of critical importance.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said that China firmly opposes Japan's attempt to mislead the public in the hope that somehow the issue would resolve itself.

Guo made the remarks following a recent statement from Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi regarding the Taiwan question, in the wake of Takaichi's Nov 7 remarks that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan.

In a parliamentary session on Monday, Motegi said the Japanese government fully understands and respects the stand of the Government of the People's Republic of China, and it firmly maintains its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation.

Guo said China has noted that the Japanese foreign minister repeated some of the clauses regarding the Taiwan question as stated in the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement of 1972.

"But we also noted that the Japanese side did not reiterate an important clause of the document, which states that 'the Government of Japan recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China' and that 'Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China'," he added.

Guo said China has also noted that the Japanese side, when citing the Cairo Declaration, only mentioned "Manchuria, Formosa and The Pescadores" and deliberately sidestepped the important information that these are "territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese".

Furthermore, he said, the Japanese side juxtaposed the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement and the so-called Treaty of San Francisco, violating the commitments it has made and the principles in international law, attempting to rehash the fallacy that Taiwan's status is "undetermined" and interfering in China's domestic affairs.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. It is also the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan.

Guo emphasized that Japan, which once invaded and exercised colonial rule over Taiwan for 50 years, committed innumerable crimes and bears historical responsibilities on the Taiwan question. "How to resolve the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese ourselves and Japan is in no position to make any interference," he said.

The spokesman also rejected "groundless and false accusations against China's legitimate defense development" made by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

On Tuesday morning, in response to a question at the Diet, Japan's parliament, on the country's increasing military expenditure, Koizumi said that other countries should come to mind, for example, China, the military spending of which has increased sevenfold in 20 years and far outpaced that of Japan in the past three years.

In response, Guo said, "With regard to peace and security, China has the best track record among major countries."

He noted that the increase in China's defense expenditure is legitimate and lawful, which is necessary for China's response to security challenges, protection of legitimate national interests, and better fulfillment of its international responsibility and obligation as a major country.

"Japan, given its grave history of aggression, is in no position to make such irresponsible remarks," Guo said.

He pointed out that during the 2025 fiscal year, Japan's defense spending per capita and its spending per defense personnel have been, respectively, threefold and more than twofold of that of China.

Guo said that Japan has significantly adjusted its security policy, with its defense spending increasing for 13 consecutive years and surging about 60 percent in the past five years.

He warned that Japan's attempts to remilitarize at a faster pace will only raise questions once again about where Japan is headed.

"All peace-loving countries should be on high alert, firmly thwart any dangerous move that may revive Japanese militarism and jointly uphold the hard-won outcomes of the WWII victory," Guo said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn