Tehran - BORNA - A diplomatic dispute between Asia's two largest economies escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump on Monday, emphasized that the return of Taiwan was an "integral part of the post-war international order."
Shortly thereafter, The Wall Street Journal, citing Japanese officials and an American briefed on the call, reported that Trump called Takaichi and advised her not to provoke Beijing over the issue of the island's sovereignty.
The American newspaper added that Trump’s advice was "mild" and that he did not pressure Takaichi to retract her statements.
A spokesperson for Takaichi's office declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Beijing, which threatens to use force to take control of Taiwan, responded angrily to Takaichi's remarks. China subsequently summoned the Japanese ambassador in Beijing and advised Chinese citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan.
On Wednesday, the Chinese Embassy in Japan once again warned its citizens to be vigilant, stating that Chinese nationals had reported being insulted, beaten, and injured without any apparent reason.
The Japanese Prime Minister, reporting on her phone call with Trump, stated that they discussed the US President's conversation with Xi, as well as bilateral relations.She stated, "President Trump said we are very close friends and he suggested that I could call him whenever I want."
However, according to The Wall Street Journal, Japanese officials reported that the message was concerning.
They also suggested that the "US President did not want the dispute over Taiwan to jeopardize the reconciliation achieved last month with Xi Jinping," which included a promise to buy more agricultural products from American farmers affected by the trade war.
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