China has lodged a protest with Japan after its coastguard took part in a joint rescue exercise with its Taiwanese counterpart.
“We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly oppose Japan’s joint maritime training with Taiwan, and have lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday.
The joint Japan-Taiwan exercises, which took place on Thursday in waters to the south of the Tokyo-Yokohama area, were the first of their kind in more than 50 years.
Lin said Japan had made solemn commitments to China, including a pledge not to support Taiwanese independence, and this was “the position and principle that Japan must follow”.
“We urge Japan to abide by the one-China principle … correct its mistakes immediately, and not condone or support Taiwan independence separatist forces in any form,” Lin said, citing a series of agreements signed between 1972 and 2008.
Lin added that Japan must “be cautious in words and deeds on the East China Sea and South China Sea issues, and not create disturbances to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and China-Japan relations”.
The two countries have a long-running dispute over the Diaoyu Islands, also known as the Senkakus, in the East China Sea, while Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea are contested by a number of its neighbours.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Thursday’s training was conducted in accordance with a 2017 memorandum of understanding on maritime search and rescue between semi-official bodies, and was “not targeted at any third countries, including China”.
Japan sent the patrol vessel Sagami, which is equipped with a helicopter, to take part in the exercise while Taiwan sent its patrol ship Hsun Hu No 9.
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Before taking part in the training exercise, Hsun Hu No 9 docked in Tokyo for about a week to take on supplies after completing a fisheries patrol in the Western Pacific.
According to Japanese media reports, Thursday’s exercise was designed to “improve interoperability” as the two sides took part in a simulated rescue operation.
Yomiuri Shimbun reported that senior Japanese coastguard officials had visited Taiwan in early June to meet Chang Chung-lung, the newly-appointed head of the island’s coastguard administration.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.
Most countries, including Japan, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. Tokyo severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China – Taiwan’s official name – in 1972 and switched recognition to the People’s Republic of China. However, it has continued to cultivate close non-governmental links with the island since then.
has maintained close non-governmental links with the self-ruled island.
