China's Foreign Ministry: Japanese Self-Defense Force Vessel Entered Taiwan Strait, Protested to Japan

BEIJING (Central News Agency reporter) -- China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this afternoon that a Japanese Self-Defense Force vessel entered the Taiwan Strait today, and the Chinese military has handled the situation in accordance with laws and regulations. China firmly opposes this and has lodged a strong protest with Japan.

According to Chinese media outlet Global Times, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a regular press conference this afternoon. A Global Times reporter asked: "Today, a Japanese Self-Defense Force vessel entered the Taiwan Strait. What is China's comment on this?"

Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded that a Japanese Self-Defense Force vessel entered the Taiwan Strait, and the Chinese military has handled the situation in accordance with laws and regulations. He stated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan have already caused a serious impact on China-Japan relations. Japan's dispatch of Self-Defense Force vessels into the Taiwan Strait is "adding error upon error" and once again exposes the dangerous intentions of some Japanese individuals to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait and undermine peace and stability there.

He added that this act seriously damages the political foundation of China-Japan relations and seriously threatens China's sovereignty and security. China firmly opposes this and has lodged a strong protest with Japan.

Guo Jiakun also stated that the "Taiwan issue" concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the political foundation of China-Japan relations, and is an insurmountable red line. China once again urges Japan to earnestly reflect, correct its mistakes, pull back from the brink, and act cautiously, so as not to go further down the wrong path.

As of the deadline, the PLA Eastern Theater Command has not reported on the incident of the Japanese Self-Defense Force vessel entering the Taiwan Strait. (Editors: Yang Sheng-ju / Chu Chien-ling) 1150417