Beijing sends warning to U.S. and Japan over Taiwan
In a rare diplomatic turn, Chinese leader Xi Jinping initiated a call with President Trump on Monday, raising Taiwan and Ukraine as Washington, Kyiv and Moscow explore options for ending the war in Europe.
The outreach comes as Beijing sharpens its position on Taiwan and new friction with Japan adds pressure to the regional landscape.
According to Xinhua, Xi used the conversation to underline China’s view that “Taiwan’s return to China is an important component of the postwar international order.”
He drew a historical comparison, stating that since China and the United States “fought side-by-side against fascism and militarism” during World War II, the two countries should now work together to preserve the outcome of that conflict.
The call was unusual in both timing and substance. Beijing rarely initiates direct leader-to-leader communication unless it seeks to signal a shift or press a priority. Taiwan has been that priority for weeks, as political and military tensions rise across the Taiwan Strait. Chinese forces have increased activity near the island, and Chinese officials have delivered sharper language in public remarks.
Recent developments have also widened the diplomatic rift between China and Japan. The dispute intensified after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responded to a parliamentary question on November 7, saying that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt a military response from Tokyo. Her comments suggested that Japan might intervene in a future contingency involving Taiwan, drawing a swift reaction from Beijing.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi described Takaichi’s remarks as “shocking,” according to an official statement released Sunday. He accused the Japanese leader of sending “a wrong signal concerning Taiwan” and attempting to interfere militarily in an issue Beijing considers internal. The statement said Wang viewed the comments as an escalation that challenges the foundation of China–Japan relations.
China has since taken the dispute to the international arena. On Friday, Beijing raised the issue with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, asserting that it would defend its position. The dispute now extends into trade and cultural exchanges, with both governments signaling that normal cooperation is being disrupted.
Beijing’s framing of Taiwan as a core component of the international system created after 1945 aligns with longstanding Chinese positions but delivers new insistence at a time of rising regional tension. The claim that China and the United States “fought side-by-side” carries diplomatic symbolism intended to reinforce cooperation, even as both governments compete across multiple domains.
