China takes spat with Japan over Taiwan to UN, vows to defend itself

22/11/2025 16:11

China has taken its widening spat with Japan to the United Nations, accusing Tokyo of threatening "an armed intervention" over Taiwan and vowing to defend itself in its strongest language yet in the two-week-old dispute.



Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi committed "a grave violation of international law" and diplomatic norms when she said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo, China's U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong wrote in a letter on Friday to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.



"If Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression," Fu wrote, according to a statement from China's U.N. mission. "China will resolutely exercise its right of self-defence under the U.N. Charter and international law and firmly defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."



Japan's Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister's Office could not immediately be reached on Saturday for comment on Fu's letter, the strongest criticism of Takaichi yet from a senior Chinese official in the biggest bilateral crisis in years.