Crude futures settle lower

Oil prices fell on Tuesday.

The West Texas Intermediate for January delivery dropped 63 cents, or 1.07 percent, to settle at 58.25 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for February delivery decreased by 55 cents, or 0.88 percent, to 61.94 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's move of ingratiation towards Japan is contemptible and meaningless, said Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a regular press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

At a plenary session of the House of Councillors on Dec. 3, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that "the Japanese government's basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 China-Japan Joint Statement, and there has been no change to this position."

"The [Chinese] Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated its solemn position on this. Here I want to stress again that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair that brooks no external interference. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi blatantly made erroneous remarks on Taiwan at the Diet. Her remarks grossly interfered in China's internal affairs. In face of doubts and criticisms from China and the international community, Takaichi's perfunctory response of 'no change in Taiwan-related position' is unacceptable as a response to China. The Japanese side must reflect on its wrongdoing and retract the erroneous remarks immediately," said Chen.

"With his evil aim of seeking secession, Lai Ching-te pandered to Takaichi's erroneous remarks in a complete loss of stance of the Chinese nation. His move of ingratiation towards Japan is contemptible and meaningless," the spokesman said.

Takaichi had previously claimed during a Diet meeting on Nov. 7 that the Chinese central authorities' "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, which immediately drew strong criticism at home and abroad.

Lai showed support for Takaichi on Nov 20 by posting a photo of himself eating Japanese cuisine on social media. Netizens in Taiwan satirized that Lai's supportive gesture for the Japanese leader ended up in vain.