Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's provocative remarks on the Taiwan question, which is an internal affair of China, have drawn fresh criticism from experts in Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Malaysia, who said such rhetoric is detrimental to regional peace and stability.
Takaichi said on Nov. 7 during a Diet hearing that the Chinese central government's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
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Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Commenting on Takaichi's remarks, Nguyen Minh Hoan, a standing member of the executive committee of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association expressed deep concern about regional stability.
"If Japan fails to handle this properly, such remarks could trigger something that would lead to instability in regional relations. What should be noted in particular is that such comments might directly affect the current Northeast Asian situation, or even the global situation," said Nguyen Minh Hoan.
Lim Wen Jye, senior researcher at Malaysia's Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research, offered a critical perspective grounded in historical accountability.
"Behind Takaichi's rhetoric lies a disregard for history and an evasion of responsibility for aggression. They could one again harm its already victimized Asian neighbors. Such remarks not only threaten regional peace but also undermine the mutual trust mechanisms that Asian countries have worked so hard to build over the years," said Lim.
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
Vietnamese, Malaysian experts criticize Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan
As the most important anchor of stability in the region, China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Manila, the Philippines on Tuesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
Wang stated that China has always upheld the equality of all countries and pursued a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship with neighboring countries.
He noted that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). China was the first major country to accede to the treaty, prompting other major countries to follow suit and significantly elevating ASEAN's international standing, said Wang, noting China will continue to support ASEAN Community-building and ASEAN's pursuit of unity and self-strengthening.
Wang mentioned that this year also marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a pivotal year bridging past achievements and future cooperation. He added that the world is undergoing profound changes intertwined with turbulence, yet East Asia has generally maintained prosperity and stability -- a hard-won situation that all parties should cherish.
Wang said that China stands ready to work with ASEAN to deepen mutual trust, enhance mutual understanding and mutual support, safeguard the common interests of China and ASEAN, uphold the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South, and advance the development of a more just and reasonable international order.
Wang mentioned that China just successfully hosted the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, where it proposed the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. The organization aims to boost AI capacity-building for Global South countries, enabling them to ride the wave of the times and advance their own development and modernization.
He said China looks forward to ASEAN's continued active participation in international AI cooperation and welcomes more ASEAN nations to join the organization.
On the South China Sea, Wang described it as a shared home for regional countries. He said South China Sea issues should not become a stumbling block to China-ASEAN relations.
Wang said certain forces within the Philippine military and maritime law enforcement ranks have deliberately provoked incidents in the South China Sea to serve the interests of external forces, undermining the process of improving China-Philippines relations as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Wang said China stands ready to work with ASEAN to remove disruptive factors, accelerate consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, jointly foster a new narrative of peace, stability, cooperation and friendship in the South China Sea, and keep the initiative on South China Sea issues firmly in the hands of regional countries.
Kao spoke highly of ASEAN-China relations and the outcomes of practical cooperation between the two sides, and thanked China for its firm support for ASEAN's centrality in regional architecture. He added that ASEAN and China are inseparable neighbors, and China is ASEAN's most important comprehensive strategic partner, with the two sides having established 65 cooperation mechanisms.
Kao said that ASEAN looks forward to closer strategic alignment with China, deeper practical cooperation in trade, investment, digital economy and other sectors, more people-to-people exchanges, and steady progress in ASEAN-China relations.
Kao noted that ASEAN endorses the "dual-track approach," supports acceleration of consultations on the COC, and strives to turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. He said ASEAN is ready to work alongside China to jointly uphold regional peace and stability and make important contributions to development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wang also met Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan on Tuesday.
China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN: FM
