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Is Beijing’s spat with Japan sending a message to US and allies over Taiwan?
The furious reaction may be a warning to other US allies such as South Korea and Australia not to change their Taiwan policy, analysts say
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Beijing’s recent fury directed towards Japan is hammering home a point on Taiwan to the wider world, especially the United States and its allies, analysts in mainland China have suggested.
Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a conflict in the Taiwan Strait might be a “survival-threatening situation” that would justify military intervention.
The comments appeared to challenge Japan’s policy of strategic ambiguity about how it would respond to any crisis – something Beijing said would undermine the post-war international order.
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Beijing warned Tokyo to brace for “all the consequences” before unleashing a series of retaliatory measures this week, while suggesting more might follow.
This stance could be a “multilayered” strategic signal, according to Chen Yang, director of the Japan Research Centre at the Beijing-based think tank Haiyi Institute.
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“[It] is not only aimed at Japan but also a reminder to the United States and its system of allies – including Australia and South Korea – as well as a broader range of Asia-Pacific nations: stay prudent on the so-called Taiwan contingency,” he said.
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