TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) on Tuesday condemned China for issuing sanctions targeting Japanese Diet member Furuya Keiji, a long-time friend of Taiwan.

Furuya chairs the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, an association of about 300 legislators. The group frequently sends delegations to Taiwan, including for the annual Double Ten National Day celebrations.

China’s foreign ministry announced measures against Furuya on Monday, but the lawmaker said he had not visited China in decades and held no assets there, adding the sanctions would not have any impact. Beijing was believed to be reacting to Furuya’s visit to Taiwan in March to attend the Yushan Forum, per CNA.

Chen expressed strong dissatisfaction with China’s behavior, accusing it of cross-border repression. Beijing’s diplomacy had no way of attracting support anymore, so instead it was using coercion and threats, Chen said.

The deputy minister cited the example of former US senator Marco Rubio, who had also been the target of sanctions. Now that he serves as secretary of state and is expected to accompany President Donald Trump on a trip to China in May, Beijing has to find a way to extricate itself from problems of its own creation, Chen said.