TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s envoy to Japan has criticized his Chinese counterpart for bad diplomacy after the Beijing representative said that Japan would be “dragged into a pit of fire” if it supports Taiwan’s independence.
The comment from Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao (吳江浩) caused a major uproar in late April. Taiwan’s representative to Japan, Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), told CNA on Friday (May 12) that diplomats should only use threats or intimidation if the matter is serious, and the public would not view such comments favorably.
If Japan was to be dragged into a fire, one would question who lit the flame, Hsieh said. Hsieh’s comments come as Japan prepares to host the Group of Seven (G7) leaders summit in Hiroshima on May 19-21.
Japan Prime Minister Kishida Fumio told Nikkei on Thursday that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is not only an issue for Japan, but a global one. "Our position has always been that the issue of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully through dialogue, and I believe the Group of Seven is united on this."
Hsieh agreed, telling reporters the world wants this and he hoped Japan would play a leading role. He said that while Taiwan will not join the G7, Taiwan hopes Japan’s steadfast commitment to opposing the use of force in the Taiwan Strait continues to be accepted by the international community.
In response to Wu’s “fire-pit” statement, Japan’s foreign minister Hayashi Yoshimasa said the comments were extremely inappropriate, and that Japan had lodged a strong protest via diplomatic channels.