Japan and US will not stand by if Taiwan is attacked, former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe warns China

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that his country will not idly standby if China and Beijing need to understand this and called out President Xi Jinping while speaking to the Taiwanese think tank, the Institute for National Policy Research.

Abe was categorical when he said Japan and the United States could not idly stand by if China attacked Taiwan, as Chinese President Xi Jinping rachet tension over democratically ruled Taiwan and to have complete hegemony over the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan.

Taiwan’s government is now in a constant state of alert and it has made it very clear that it will defend itself if needed even if the odds are overwhelming.

Abe said, “The emergency in Taiwan is the emergency in Japan and Beijing, especially President Xi, must not have any misunderstandings about this,”.

Shinzo Abe delivered a video speech at a think tank event in Taipei on Wednesday (December 1) and in that virtual meet, Abe said, “The emergency in Taiwan is the emergency in Japan, in other words, it is also the emergency in the Japan-U.S. alliance. Beijing, especially President Xi, must not have any misunderstandings about this,”.

The Taiwanese think tank, the Institute for National Policy Research had invited and in that meet, Abe noted the Senkaku islands – which China calls the Diaoyu Islands – Sakishima islands and Yonaguni island are a mere 100 km (62 miles) or so away from Taiwan and an invasion of Taiwan would be a grave danger to Japan which also means to the entire region.

“Japan, Taiwan and all the people who believe in democracy need to keep urging President Xi Jinping and other Chinese Communist Party leaders repeatedly not to step onto a wrong path.A stronger Taiwan, a thriving Taiwan, and a Taiwan that guarantees freedom and human rights are also in Japan’s interests. Of course, this is also in the interests of the whole world,” Abe said.

It must be noted that Japan is home to major U.S. military bases, including Okinawa, a short flight from Taiwan, which would be crucial for any U.S. support during a Chinese attack.

For India, this statement could not have come at a better time as China has refused to defuse tension at Ladakh and by calling on Xi Jinping publicly, Shinzo Abe has become the first global leader to stand up and speak directly to the Communist dictator.

_{(The article was first published on The Commnue. Republished with permission)}

SamvadaWorld Staff