Taipei [Taiwan] November 16 : Taiwan's Presidential Office accused China of stoking tensions with Japan for political advantage, hours after Chinese maritime authorities announced plans for live-fire missile exercises in the Yellow Sea. China's Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation alert stating that the People's Liberation Army would carry out missile launches with live munitions in the central Yellow Sea from Tuesday through Thursday, as reported by The Taipei Times.
According to The Taipei Times, China also released a travel warning on Friday, claiming Chinese nationals in Japan faced rising criminal risks, an advisory widely seen as retaliation for comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. During a parliamentary session, Takaichi stated that a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan could be classified as a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, potentially activating its self-defence mechanisms.
Her remarks prompted an aggressive response from Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian, who wrote online that Japan risked having its "filthy neck" sliced right off if it interfered. The post was later removed, but the incident sparked widespread criticism for its violent tone.
Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo denounced China's approach as an attempt to manufacture hybrid threats against Japan, warning that such calculated intimidation endangers the Indo-Pacific's security landscape. She urged Beijing to stop provoking instability and behave like a responsible major power rather than a disruptor. National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu echoed this view, saying China continues to rely on insults and military coercion instead of addressing the inappropriate comments made by its diplomat. Wu stated that Taiwan, having long been subjected to similar pressure, condemns China's destabilising behaviour, as cited by The Taipei Times.
A senior official with knowledge of foreign affairs stated that China routinely uses hostile language, economic leverage and military threats in its dealings with other nations. Japan, they said, is only one of several countries facing China's blended intimidation tactics. The official added that Tokyo's evolving security stance did not start with Takaichi and is consistent with international assessments. Beijing's exaggerated and unreasonable response, they warned, risks further miscalculation and unnecessary escalation across the Indo-Pacific region, as reported by The Taipei Times.