By Zhong Sheng

Recently, China has taken countermeasures against Keiji Furuya, a member of Japan's House of Representatives, in accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People's Republic of China. This is a just move to safeguard national sovereignty and uphold international law, and a stern warning against the intensifying collusion and provocations between Japan's right-wing forces and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.

Despite China's strong opposition, Furuya has repeatedly made proactive visits to Taiwan region and engaged in close collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. Recently, he even openly clamored that "Japan is determined to protect Taiwan, Taiwan's democracy, and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." His moves seriously violated the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, severely interfered in China's internal affairs, and undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. After China took countermeasures against him in accordance with the law, the Japanese side claimed that China's move was "unacceptable and regrettable" and called on China to immediately revoke it. Such blame-shifting remarks completely misjudge China's firm resolve to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and cannot change the international community's clear judgment on the merits of the matter. They have also drawn criticism from many people of insight within Japan.

Whether viewed from historical facts or international law, it is an ironclad fact that cannot be distorted or tampered with: there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. In 1895, Japan forcibly ceded Taiwan through the Treaty of Shimonoseki and subsequently imposed draconian colonial rule over the island for half a century. During the Japanese occupation, hundreds of thousands of Taiwan compatriots were killed, economic resources were wantonly plundered, and national culture was deliberately suppressed. In 1945, after a grueling 14 years of tenacious resistance, the Chinese people finally won the great victory in the war against Japanese aggression. In August that year, the Japanese government announced its acceptance of the Potsdam Proclamationand its unconditional surrender. In September of the same year, Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender, in which it promised that it "would faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in the Potsdam Proclamation". On this basis, the Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. Subsequently, in the four political documents between China and Japan, the Japanese government made explicit commitments on the Taiwan question. These commitments are legally binding under international law, leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

Japan bears historical responsibility to the Chinese people over the Taiwan question and should have deeply reflected on its past and acted with prudence. However, Japan's right-wing forces have not learned from history. Instead, they have intensified collusion with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and repeatedly made provocations on the Taiwan question. Recently, Shigeru Iwasaki, the former chief of the Joint Staff of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF), has taken up a so-called "policy advisor" position with the Taiwan authorities. The Japanese side has also condoned Cho Jung-tai, chief of Taiwan's executive body, to make a proactive visit to Japan under the pretext of "watching a baseball game". China remains highly vigilant against such developments and firmly opposes Japan's attempts to "play on the margins"or "seek breakthroughs" on the Taiwan question. The Japanese side's condoning and provocations will inevitably come at a cost, and it must bear all the consequences arising therefrom.

The open collusion between Japan's right-wing forces and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces is both an outward manifestation of its deep-rooted colonial mentality and an attempt to use the Taiwan question as a pretext to further hype up regional tensions and advance "remilitarization". Recently, Japan has been continuously strengthening its military deployments in its southwestern islands, accelerating the stationing of shore-to-ship missile units in places such as Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island. It is also planning to deploy a medium-range air defense missile unit on Yonaguni Island, only 110 km from Taiwan, before fiscal year 2030. The newly established combined fleet of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will primarily conduct operations in the waters of the East China Sea close to Taiwan. This raises a question: while Japanese right-wing politicians repeatedly claim to "maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,"why are their actions steadily breaking through the "exclusively defense-oriented" principle and even condoning or inciting military collusion involving Taiwan? Who exactly is the real disruptor of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait?

The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests. Any provocation on the Taiwan question will come at a cost. China urges the Japanese side to draw lessons from history and immediately stop playing with fire on the Taiwan question, and cease colluding and stirring up trouble with "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. Otherwise, it will inevitably suffer resolute counteractions.