Beijing summons Japan envoy over Abe's Taiwan remarks

Beijing must not realize that Japan isn't a dictatorship, doesn't murder innocent protestors with tanks like the CCP did in Tienanmen square in '89, and therefore have no right to tell Abe, a private citizen, what he can or cannot say.

Nothing better than China being antagonized and embarrassed on the world stage!

Abe did his job well as Japan's special envoy to Taiwan.

I could never be a diplomat posted to a nation like China. I couldn't be diplomatic with them.

Meanwhile over at the Mainichi one can read:

TOKYO -- Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a news conference on Dec. 2 that the government is unable to explain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's comments on Taiwan that sparked a backlash from China, and called for Beijing's understanding.

"The government is not in a position to explain the statements of someone who has left the government," Matsuno said at a morning news conference.

In other words, butt out Abe. What a loss of face.

@fighto

Abe is not Japan's special envoy to Taiwan. What ever gave you that ridiculous idea.

Abe is special envoy to Malaysia, as if one were needed.

In history, Japan has launched a war of aggression against China, committing heinous crimes against the Chinese

In recent years, China has launched a war of aggression against Its neighbours, including Tibet, Vietnam & Hong Kong, committing heinous crimes against their citizens.

Shameful warmongering from someone who’s probably never had a day ‘in service’ or a family member who is currently ‘serving others selfishly’ to curtail war?:

@TrevorPeace 7:02am JST: “Can't wait for the first shot.” -

Posted in: Beijing summons Japan envoy over Abe's Taiwan remarks

Abe isn't the prime minister of Japan and he no longer speaks for Japanese government.

Abe refused to help Taiwanese out when they were asking for Japanese assistance on its submarine program citing fear of Chinese economic retaliations, while Koreans did.

No Abe is all talk and no action, while Koreans are no talk but actual action behind closed door.

It’s called free speech something that The ccp doesn’t understand the concept of . Let them complain the world just rolls it’s eyes .

For the past several years there has been a steady drumbeat of news on Taiwans subs that always included mention of retired Japanese engineering talent providing input. I still believe that to be the case. They are the most experienced submarine builders in Asia where Canada for example has never built a sub and India, Australia and Spain all rely on outside help to build theirs. Only South Korea has experience building a domestically designed sub and their experience is very new where Japan has been building subs of its own design continuously since the beginning of the 20th Century.

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2018/09/japanese-contractors-to-help-taiwans.html

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2018/august-2018-navy-naval-defense-news/6450-experts-from-japan-to-assist-taiwan-with-submarine-project.html

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/six-companies-want-help-taiwan-build-its-own-submarines-26356

"It has no right or power to make irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan issue."

Really? The entire world knows that Japan and every other country except Russia and North Korea - has the right to say whatever about the Taiwan Issue. Reality China. Stay in reality.

So they can attack Taiwan and the world can’t interfere or react? Shut up China.

@Machida

Why does Russia and North Korea not have the right to say anything about Taiwan?

Because they may say something you don't agree with?

Undermines your whole argument about freedom of speech doesn't it.

Abe is such a 'has been' and should simply butt out and retire.

China needs to get over the butthurt they feel over what Imperial Japan did in the 1930's and 40's. Yes it committed heinous crimes....but this was 80-90 years ago!! How about the purges and deaths inflicted by the CCP upon it's own people much closer in time than the end of WWII?? I believe that people have the right to self-determination and if Taiwanese want to remain independent then I absolutely support that issue. The ONLY people who can change that are the Taiwanese themselves. If they decided to re-join China then that would be their right to do so too.

The Chinese think they have the western world over a barrel because China makes a huge amount of western goods.....but if the western corporations were to pull out of China, the unemployment and subsequent crashing of the economy would destroy China too.....so it seems we have each other at a Mexican stand off......ramp down the rhetoric, let the past settle and move forward.

Shinzo Abe's message of an economic suicide if China attacks TW was a wake-up call for the business icons of Beijing.

I think Shinzo is a genius!

Hiro S NobumasaToday  11:28 am JST

Shinzo Abe's message of an economic suicide if China attacks TW was a wake-up call for the business icons of Beijing.

I think Shinzo is a genius!

Not enough of a genius to fix all of Japan's problems in the eight years he spent as prime minister.

"It has no right or power to make irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan issue."

Actually it does. You see unlike China, Japan is free to express opinions that the CCP do not necessarily approve of. You do not have to like them but you cant stop them. Complaining about them will do nothing to aid your position. But it will make you look stupid.

Like many nations in the region, Japan has tried to walk the tight rope of being an ally of the US and having China as top trading partner. With Chinese expansion underway Japan must pick a side and it is picking its ally over trade. As others have been forced to do. This will gather pace the more bellicose and belligerent China becomes. Outbursts like this just push Japan further away from China's desired position for it.

Japan must pick a side and it is picking its ally over trade.

Abe doesn’t speak for Japan, Japan does not have to choose. You will continue to see investments in China and support for US geopolitical interests. Money decides.

The best position for Japan is to have its cake and eat it too like it currently is doing.

Abe he's really stirring the pot on this one.

Better batten down the hatches there's a storm brewing.

China and Russia are getting tierd of this crap.

CCP is already dead n have started to decay only it doesn’t realize

It is high time someone stands up against the CCP. Now with current US govnmt beholden to the CCP, Japan has to step in.

"It has no right or power to make irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan issue."

Really? The entire world knows that Japan and every other country except Russia and North Korea - has the right to say whatever about the Taiwan Issue. Reality China. Stay in reality.

@Michael

This is lost in translation 権力. The better translation would be that Abe “has no say” in matters on Taiwan. It’s not about Abe’s freedom of speech. “Power” is closer than the “right” to speak. I realize you can find 権力 in the dictionary as “rights” but it’s not a comment on whether Abe can or cannot make remarks, which is not the question because Abe already made the remark.

In that sense, consider that some of the comments here are saying the same thing: Abe is not the prime minister, Abe is not in the Japanese government, Abe doesn’t speak for Japan, and so on, along those lines.

Actually it does. You see unlike China, Japan is free to express opinions that the CCP do not necessarily approve of.

Thats not what he’s saying. Why would he say Abe has no right to express his remarks? Abe just did. He’s saying Abe and or Japan has no say or power in the internal affairs of China.

It's USA and Japan in East Asia, S.Korea doesn't want to defend Taiwan a democracy. Only focus of the Moon administration its on the Korea Peninsula. Korean issues.

Russia and China not a worry for S. Korea, not their problem. Japan and USA can worry about that. Korea has to think about Samsung reaching a Trillion and need the Chinese market.

Samit

Koreans doing the bare minimum behind close doors in the middle of the night.... Definitely a Korean move I agree.

Standing up to China on Taiwan is very Hard! Few dare to do it! Why Korea is quiet and silent!

IF any country says any "BAD WORDS" about China they cry to that country's embassy and fire off warning shots! China is noting but a big loud barking dog with no teeth to bite. No one likes them and they know it that is why they bark and salivate all the time.

The government is not in a position to explain the statements of someone who has left the government," Matsuno said at a morning news conference.In other words, butt out Abe.

No, that was in other words "butt out China". They pointed out to China unlike Chinese citizens Abe is a free citizen, with free speech, who is allowed to point out that Taiwan is a free and independent nation all he wants.

What a loss of face.

Yeah, for China. Japan told China Abe can say whatever he wants, and the government isn't willing to do a thing for China in that regards.

Boo-hoo to the CPP.

In that sense, consider that some of the comments here are saying the same thing: Abe is not the prime minister, Abe is not in the Japanese government, Abe doesn’t speak for Japan

But he did for more years than almost any other prime minister, and his voice still carries a lot of weight with the Japanese.

So when Abe says that Taiwan is an independent nation, the people place more weight in what he says than the lies the CCP try to tell.

Something I have been pondering is if the absence of Lee Kwan Yew from the scene has cost the Chinese leadership a moderating influence? Lee had a personal relationship with pretty much all of the post Mao Chinese leaders and was one of the few western oriented Asian leaders the Chinese respected and listened to. He passed away in 2015 and his successors do not have the gravitas with the Chinese leaders Lee senior had. Lee had insights into how westerners think and how hey would handle challenges from China that communist Chinese leaders do not understand because they live in a bubble. From what I have read about Lee, he often counseled Chinese leaders on their relationships with the west. Example he constantly told Chinese leaders that censoring the internet was a futile waste of time and money. One has to wonder if China would be as belligerent as it today is if Lee was still around talking to Xi? I think it is telling that Chinese aggression seemed to escalate markedly after Lee died. Just something that has been on my mind.

Taiwan is about 100 miles from the coast of China.

Blowing things up is easy, but fighting a defensive war at arms length, from Japan, Guam, Australia and some ships would not be easy. The UK did it for the Falkland Islands, but that was against Argentina, not China.

The US did nothing for Hong Kong as the Chinese took it down, and in their response to the mob storming the Capitol, they ended any hope of support for HK activists who had stormed the Legislative Council Complex. US politicians chose domestic political gain over support for pro-democracy supporters in HK. They always will.

To successfully defend Taiwan, the US would have to attack China directly. Or WWIII as it would be called. That would initiate a global economic collapse and effectively end even notional attempts at stopping climate change. China's size alone makes a campaign difficult. Do they use nukes on cities full of civilians (again)? How would China respond? It couldn't hit the US, so it would have to target nearby US allies.

Beijing plays the long game. It is busy with HK, dealing with quite serious domestic economic problems and moving to a more North Korean style. It is likely to wait until the Taiwanese government falls out of favour and a pro-Chinese opposition take power before making any serious move for Taiwan. Even the US would find it difficult to defend a nation from its own elected government and the alliances it makes. There might be sanctions, but until the US has buried itself in debt attempting to replace production of everything Taiwanese and Chinese with new domestic factories, they are unlikely to be able to cut themselves (and Japan) off from Chinese and Taiwanese suppliers.

China itself is becoming less of a problem for the US. Beijing is taking down its own tech companies, withdrawing them from the West and disengaging. Ultimately both sides may be happy building a wall in a new cold war scenario. Where that leaves Taiwan will depend upon Taiwanese voters. Where it leaves Japan is less sure. It remains to be seen whether Both the US and China will permit Japan to pick both sides, for its own benefit, or force it to pick one, at considerable cost.

So for now, this is 'sound and fury, signifying nothing', evangelising the nationalist mentality and nurturing prospective cannon fodder for any future war. Lockdown prolefeed for anyone who has run out of Netflix.