‘We have no choice but to cut the filthy neck’: Why did China make this chilling threat to Japan?

New Delhi: Tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan continue to escalate. The situation is rapidly deteriorating, and the possibility of war cannot be ruled out. On Friday, November 21, China expressed its displeasure with Tokyo at the United Nations over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments on Taiwan. Relations between the two countries have reached their lowest point since 2023. China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Kang, wrote a letter to the global body’s Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on Friday, stating that “if Japan dares to resort to armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an attack.”

China’s Permanent Representative referred to the strait that separates mainland China from self-governing Taiwan, which Beijing claims is part of China. Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of forcibly annexing Taiwan. The dispute began with a statement by Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Taikaichi, in which she told the Japanese Parliament that “Japan may take retaliatory measures in the event of a possible naval blockade or military action by China against Taiwan.”

Why has tension flared between China and Japan?

The diplomatic spat between China and Japan began in November when Prime Minister Taikaichi, who had just assumed office in October, commented on how Japan would respond to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan. These comments angered Beijing and prompted an apology from the Japanese Prime Minister. Furthermore, the dispute quickly escalated into a trade war. A day later, China’s Consul General in Osaka, Xu Jian, threatened in a post, saying, “We have no choice but to cut the filthy neck that pounces on us without hesitation. Are you ready?” This threatening post by Chinese diplomat Xu angered Japan, which began demanding the diplomat’s expulsion.

War of words

On November 14, China’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Japanese ambassador and warned that Japan would suffer a “crushing defeat” if it interfered in Taiwan. The following day, Japan’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the Chinese ambassador and complained about the consul’s post. Although Prime Minister Taikaichi told Parliament three days after his controversial statement that she would refrain from discussing specific situations in the future, she has refused to retract her comments.

How much have Japan-China tensions escalated?

On November 14, China issued a no-travel advisory for Japan, aimed at attacking Japan’s tourism sector. Between January and September of this year, approximately 7.5 million Chinese tourists visited Japan. On November 15, three Chinese airlines offered refunds or free change offers for flights planned on routes to Japan, allowing travellers who do not wish to travel to Japan to reschedule their travel. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Ministry of Education targeted Japan’s education sector, warning Chinese students or those planning to study in Japan about recent crimes against Chinese. Both China and Japan have recorded attacks on each other’s citizens in recent months, raising fears of xenophobia.

Controversy over East China Sea

According to an Al Jazeera report, military tensions between the two countries have now escalated. Last Sunday, the Chinese Coast Guard announced that it was patrolling the waters surrounding a group of unoccupied islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim. Japan calls these islands the Senkaku Islands, while Beijing calls them the Diaoyu Islands. In response, Japan condemned the “violation” of Japanese territorial waters by a fleet of four Chinese coastguard ships. Last week, Chinese authorities halted the screening of at least two Japanese films and banned Japanese seafood. Then, on Thursday, China cancelled a three-way meeting with the culture ministers of Japan and South Korea scheduled for late November.