People’s Daily 人民日报 November 14

http://www.news.cn/tw/20251114/40236ec7690f4e87ae4a9c5f192cd1df/c.html

In recent days, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi openly declared in the Diet that a so-called “contingency in Taiwan” could constitute a “situation that threatens Japan’s survival” in which Japan may exercise the right of collective self-defense, thereby hinting at possible military intervention in the Taiwan Strait. This is a crude interference in China’s internal affairs, a betrayal of the one-China principle, and a flagrant provocation against the post-World War II international order. Clear-sighted people in both China and Japan have incisively pointed out that Takaichi’s argument is, since Japan’s defeat in 1945, the first time a Japanese leader has in a formal setting peddled the notion that “a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan” and linked it to the exercise of collective self-defense; the first time she has, on the Taiwan question, expressed an ambition to intervene by force; and the first time she has issued a military threat against China. The intentions behind this are extremely sinister, the nature of it is extremely egregious, and the consequences are extremely serious. The Chinese government and the Chinese people are indignant and firmly opposed.

近日，日本首相高市早苗在国会公然宣称“台湾有事”可能构成日本可行使集体自卫权的“存亡危机事态”，暗示可能武力介入台海问题。这是对中国内政的粗暴干涉，是对一个中国原则的背信弃义，是对二战后国际秩序的公然挑衅。中国和日本的有识之士都一针见血地指出，高市此论是1945年日本战败以来，日本领导人首次在正式场合鼓吹所谓“台湾有事就是日本有事”并与行使集体自卫权相关联，首次在台湾问题上表达试图武装介入的野心，首次对中国发出武力威胁，用心极其险恶、性质极其恶劣、后果极其严重。中国政府和中国人民对此强烈愤慨、坚决反对。

Since modern times, Japanese militarism frenetically pursued external aggression and expansion, committing crimes against China that are too numerous to record. In 1895, through the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan forcibly tore away Taiwan and imposed fifty years of colonial rule, brutally suppressing the resistance of Taiwan compatriots, plundering resources on a large scale, and causing grave damage to Taiwan’s economy, culture, and people’s livelihood. In 1945, after 14 years of arduous and bloody struggle, the Chinese people won the great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression; Japan signed the instrument of surrender and formally accepted international legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, which stipulated that Taiwan be returned to China. China recovered Taiwan and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. This was a glorious chapter in the Chinese nation’s defense of national reunification, and it is also an important component of the post–World War II international order.

近代以来，日本军国主义疯狂对外侵略扩张，对中国犯下的罪行罄竹难书。1895年，日本通过《马关条约》强行割占台湾，实施长达50年的殖民统治，血腥镇压台湾同胞反抗，大肆掠夺资源，对台湾经济、文化、民生等造成严重破坏。1945年，中国人民历经14年艰苦卓绝的浴血奋战赢得抗日战争伟大胜利，日本签署投降书，正式接受《开罗宣言》《波茨坦公告》等规定台湾归还中国的国际法律文件，中国收复台湾，恢复对台湾行使主权，这是中华民族捍卫国家统一的光辉篇章，也是二战后国际秩序的重要组成部分。

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and also the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration to China. The international community has long since formed a broad consensus on upholding the one-China principle. As a defeated country, Japan ought to deeply reflect on its historical crimes, faithfully honor the commitments it has made to China and to the international community, thoroughly reflect on its historical guilt through concrete actions, and fully respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yet Takaichi is attempting to bind China’s Taiwan to Japan’s so-called “security interests” in order to fabricate a pretext for Japan to intervene in the Taiwan question by force, thereby exposing Japan’s scheme and ambition to militarily intervene in the Taiwan Strait. This not only sends a gravely wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, but also seriously violates the core content of the China–Japan Joint Statement regarding adherence to the one-China principle, as well as the consensus in the 2008 fourth political document between China and Japan that the two countries are “mutually cooperative partners that do not pose a threat to each other.” It seriously undermines the political foundation of China–Japan relations.

今年是中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年，也是台湾光复80周年。国际社会早已形成坚持一个中国的普遍共识。作为战败国，日本理应深刻反省历史罪责，恪守对中国和国际社会作出的承诺，以实际行动彻底反思历史罪责，充分尊重中国的主权和领土完整。但高市却试图将中国台湾和日本所谓的“安全利益”进行绑定，从而企图为日本武力干预台湾问题提供口实，暴露出日本军事介入台海的图谋和野心。这不仅向“台独”分裂势力释放严重错误信号，而且严重违背《中日联合声明》中坚持一个中国原则的核心内容，以及2008年中日第四个政治文件中关于两国“互为合作伙伴，互不构成威胁”的共识，严重破坏了中日关系的政治基础。

Takaichi’s fallacies on Taiwan are by no means an isolated outburst of political mania; behind them lies the obsession and arrogance of Japan’s right-wing forces in seeking to break free from the constraints of the Peace Constitution and pursue the status of a “military power.” In recent years, Japan has been racing headlong down the road of military build-up and armament expansion, constantly hollowing out the Peace Constitution, completely abandoning the principle of “exclusively defense-oriented” policy, and plotting to discard the “three non-nuclear principles.” Against this backdrop, Takaichi’s move to link a so-called “contingency in Taiwan” to collective self-defense is about seeking excuses for Japan’s military expansion and harbors dangerous signs that militarism may rise from the ashes. From her frequent visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, to denying the Nanjing Massacre, and to vigorously hyping up the “China threat theory,” every step she takes follows in the old footprints of historical crimes, in an attempt to whitewash the history of aggression and summon back the spirit of militarism. In history, Japanese militarism repeatedly used so-called “situations of survival crisis” as a pretext to launch external aggression, including brazenly staging the September 18th Incident and starting the war of aggression against China under the guise of “exercising the right of self-defense.” To be reviving similar rhetoric today—does Japan intend to repeat the mistakes of history?

高市的涉台谬论绝非孤立的政治妄言，背后是日本右翼势力突破和平宪法束缚、谋求“军事大国”地位的偏执和狂妄。近年来，日本在强军扩武道路上疾行狂飙，不断架空和平宪法，彻底背弃“专守防卫”原则，图谋放弃“无核三原则”。在此背景下，高市将“台湾有事”与集体自卫权挂钩，是为日本军事扩张寻找借口，蕴藏着军国主义死灰复燃的危险苗头。高市从频繁参拜靖国神社到否认南京大屠杀，再到极力渲染“中国威胁论”，她每一步都踩在历史罪恶的旧脚印中，企图为侵略历史翻案，为军国主义招魂。日本军国主义历史上多次以所谓“存亡危机”为借口，发动对外侵略，包括以“行使自卫权”为由悍然制造九一八事变，挑起侵华战争。如今重提类似论调，难道日本想重蹈历史覆辙？

The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are an unstoppable tide of history. The resolve of the Chinese government and people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is rock-solid. The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests; whoever dares touch this red line will never be accepted by the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people and by the entire Chinese nation! We once again sternly warn the Japanese side: should Japan dare to militarily intervene in the situation in the Taiwan Strait, that would constitute aggression, and China will surely strike back head-on. The Japanese side must immediately correct its erroneous, line-crossing words and deeds, withdraw its egregious remarks, and stop dangerous, adventurist moves in the field of military security; otherwise, all the consequences must be borne by Japan.

中华民族伟大复兴、两岸统一是不可阻挡的历史大势。中国政府和人民维护国家主权和领土完整的决心坚定不移。台湾问题是中国核心利益中的核心，谁敢触碰这条红线，14亿多中国人民、整个中华民族绝不会答应！我们再次正告日方，如日方胆敢武力介入台海局势，将构成侵略，中方必将迎头痛击。日方必须立即纠正挑衅越线的错误言行，收回恶劣言论，停止在军事安全领域的危险冒进举动，否则一切后果必须由日方承担。

Eighty years ago, the Chinese people defeated the aggression of Japanese militarism. Today, the Chinese nation has the firm will, full confidence, and ample capability to thwart any form of “Taiwan independence” separatist scheme and any external interference. Those who play with fire will surely burn themselves; any force that attempts to obstruct China’s great cause of reunification is like an ant trying to stop a chariot, and will inevitably face resolute countermeasures and complete failure!

80年前，中国人民战胜了日本军国主义侵略。今天，中华民族有坚定意志、充分信心和足够能力挫败任何形式“台独”分裂图谋和外部干涉。玩火者必自焚，任何企图阻挠中国统一大业的势力都是螳臂当车，必将遭到坚决反制和彻底失败！