BEIJING: The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday issued a statement that warned against possible approach of the government of Japan’s new Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide to Taiwan.

Reacting to news that former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori delivered to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen a message from Suga showing a positive stance toward talks with the president over the phone or in other forms, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in the statement that China demanded Japan clarify its position on the matter.

The Japanese side clearly replied that what has been reported will never happen, according to Wang.

The statement suggest that China is getting nervous about the possibility of the new Japanese administration coming close to Taiwan.

Mori delivered the message from Suga to Tsai when he paid a courtesy call on the president on Friday. The former prime minister visited Taiwan to attend a memorial service for former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui on Saturday.

JIJI Press