In a pointed address at the Munich Security Conference’s ‘China in the World’ session, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed profound alarm over Japan’s perilous trajectory. Speaking on Saturday, he zeroed in on Tokyo’s leadership making erroneous statements about Taiwan, which he said directly challenge China’s sovereignty and the post-war international order.
Wang highlighted how Japan’s current prime minister publicly declared that any contingency in the Taiwan Strait would pose an ‘existential threat’ to Japan. He noted this as the first such absurd remark from a Japanese premier in 80 years since the war’s end.
Drawing a stark contrast with Germany, Wang pointed out that Berlin fully eradicated fascism and banned Nazism, while Japan continues to honor Class-A war criminals at shrines where leaders still pay respects. This, he argued, reveals Japan’s lingering ambitions to seize Taiwan and pursue colonialism, with militarism’s ghost still haunting the region.
He urged Japan to learn from history, repent sincerely, or risk repeating fatal mistakes. Wang called on all peace-loving nations to warn Tokyo that straying again would lead to its own destruction.
Shifting to US-China ties, Wang emphasized that as the world’s two largest powers, their coexistence shapes global dynamics. China views relations through a historical lens, guided by President Xi Jinping’s principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.
Wang welcomed former US President Trump’s respect for Xi and the Chinese people, and his calls for joint action on global challenges. Yet, he cautioned against lingering US forces aiming to suppress China.
Outlining two paths ahead, Wang described cooperation as mutually beneficial for both nations and the world. Confrontation, however—through supply chain decoupling, containment, and Taiwan independence plots—would drag both into conflict. China stands ready to defend its red lines.
In closing, Wang affirmed China’s preference for opportunities but preparedness for risks, confident that mutual respect and cooperation will prevail as the only viable choice.