China warns Japan over ‘red Line’ on Taiwan as diplomatic row deepens

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday sharply condemned recent comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan, calling them “shocking” and accusing Tokyo of crossing a political “red line” in a deepening dispute that has strained bilateral ties for more than two weeks.

In a statement posted on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, Wang — the most senior Chinese official to address the controversy so far — said Japan’s leader had sent “a wrong and dangerous signal” by suggesting that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Japan.

Wang accused Takaichi of “attempting to intervene militarily” in what Beijing views as an internal matter. His remarks referred to Takaichi’s November 7 comments in the Japanese parliament, where she indicated that a hypothetical Chinese assault on democratically governed Taiwan could compel Tokyo to act, depending on the circumstances.

Beijing reacted with fury, calling Takaichi’s stance an unacceptable challenge to China’s sovereignty. “Japan is crossing a red line that must not be touched,” Wang said in the statement, warning that China would take “all necessary measures” to defend its territorial claims.

The dispute has rapidly escalated beyond rhetoric. The diplomatic row — already the most severe between the two Asian powers in years — has begun affecting trade and cultural exchanges. On Friday, China raised the matter with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, vowing to “firmly defend its rights and interests.”

Japan has not withdrawn Takaichi’s statement, though officials in Tokyo have stressed that Japan’s security policy remains unchanged and rooted in its alliance with the United States.

Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan’s government rejects China’s sovereignty claims, insisting that only the island’s 23 million people can determine their political future.