TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's foreign ministry on Tuesday (July 12) said that it issued "stern representations" to Japan's government after Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, marking the highest-level visit by a Taiwanese official to the country in nearly 50 years.
On Monday morning (July 11), Lai arrived in Japan as a special envoy of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). Lai was then accompanied by Taiwan's representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) on a visit to Abe's residence in Tokyo.
Lai later went to a private wake that was attended by family members, foreign dignitaries, and close acquaintances of the late leader at the Zojoji Temple. Lai's visit was highly significant as he was the highest-level government official from Taiwan to visit Japan since Tokyo cut diplomatic ties with Taipei in September 1972.
Although the Japanese media extensively covered Lai's visit to Abe's home and his attendance at the funeral, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told the media on Tuesday that Lai had attended the ceremony as a private citizen. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told the press that day that she could not comment on Lai's "private schedule" in Japan.
During a press conference on Tuesday, a reporter asked China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) to comment on Lai's attendance at Abe's funeral and the fact that he was the highest-level Taiwanese official to visit Japan since the 1970s. Wang first "corrected" the journalist by claiming that "Taiwan is part of China" and he denied that Taiwan has a vice president.
Describing Abe's passing as "sudden and unfortunate," Wang then accused the Taiwan government of seeking to "engage in political manipulation and benefit politically by taking advantage of the incident." He claimed that Taiwan's "political calculations will not succeed."
Wang ended his response by saying that China has lodged "stern representations" to both the Japanese embassy in Beijing and the Japanese government in Tokyo over Lai's visit and "made our position absolutely clear."
