Taipei: Taiwan’s Presidential Office has called on China to stop its “hybrid coercion” tactics against Japan, following China’s advisories against traveling to Japan and its announcement of a live-fire exercise in the Yellow Sea. The Presidential Office spokesperson, Karen Kuo, highlighted that Beijing’s unilateral actions pose a threat to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, urging China not to be a “troublemaker in the global community.”

According to Focus Taiwan, China’s Maritime Safety Administration announced that the naval exercise would take place from Monday to Wednesday. This action follows the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel advisory issued on Friday, citing safety risks and an increase in criminal cases involving Chinese nationals in Japan. The advisory was in response to what China considered Japan’s “provocative” statements concerning Taiwan.

The statements in question were made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a parliamentary session on November 7. Takaichi suggested that a “Taiwan contingency,” such as a Chinese naval blockade, could be deemed a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. Under Japan’s security laws, this designation permits Japan to mobilize its armed forces and exercise “collective self-defense” if an attack on an ally or a country closely related to Japan is seen as a threat to Japan’s survival.

Adding to the tensions, China’s consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, reposted a report on Takaichi’s remarks on social media, making inflammatory comments in Japanese. Although the post was later deleted, it escalated diplomatic protests between the two nations. Beijing criticized Tokyo for not retracting Takaichi’s remarks, while Tokyo demanded a formal response to Xue’s comments.

Taiwan’s National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu also entered the fray, using social media to criticize Beijing’s rhetoric and military actions toward Japan, urging Beijing to reflect on Xue’s “insulting” remarks.