China protests Japanese party official’s trip to Taiwan

ISTANBUL (AA) – China lodged a strong protest with Japan after its ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) policy chief paid a trip to Taiwan over the weekend.

“In disregard of China’s solemn stance, senior officials of Japan’s ruling party insisted on visiting Taiwan,” said a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

Koichi Hagiuda, the policy chief of the ruling LDP, during his trip met Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and also addressed the Taiwan-Japan relations forum in Taipei where he backed the self-ruled island nation’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

After receiving the visiting Japanese official, Tsai said on Twitter that it was the first time in 19 years that the chairman of the LDP’s Policy Research Council had visited Taiwan, home to around 24 million people who live across Taiwan Strait, south of mainland China.

“We had in-depth discussions on Taiwan-Japan relations and the regional situation, and it was a truly meaningful exchange of opinions,” Tsai said.

The LDP’s current vice president, Taro Aso, also visited Taiwan in 2003.

However, the Chinese Embassy strongly opposed Hagiuda’s trip and his meetings with Tsai, saying: “Relevant actions have seriously violated the one-China principle and the four political documents between China and Japan, and violated Japan’s commitment on the Taiwan issue. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this.

“The Taiwan issue concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is at the core of China’s core interests.

“How to deal with this issue will test Japan’s ability to maintain the political foundation of China-Japan relations and the basic faith of bilateral exchanges,” said the embassy.

China considers Taiwan as its “breakaway province”. Taipei has maintained independence since 1949, with full diplomatic relations with 14 nations.