Taipei [Taiwan] March 31 : China's decision to sanction Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya over his visits to Taiwan is "truly regrettable," Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi said, warning that Beijing's reliance on intimidation and coercion could backfire, as reported by the Taipei Times.
According to the Taipei Times report, China has banned Furuya from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and has also moved to freeze his assets in the country. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Furuya of "colluding with Taiwanese independence forces" and "interfering in China's internal affairs," with spokeswoman Mao Ning stating that the sanctions should serve as a warning to others.
Furuya, a conservative ally of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, dismissed the sanctions, saying they would have "no impact" as he has not visited China in decades and holds no assets there. The Japanese government has condemned the move as "absolutely unacceptable" and called for its retraction, the report added.
As cited by the Taipei Times, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) also criticised China's use of what it described as transnational repression as a diplomatic tool. Furuya, 73, currently serves as chairman of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council and has maintained close ties with Taiwan.
The report notes that Furuya recently visited Taipei earlier this month to attend the Yushan Forum, where he met with President William Lai and proposed a military band exchange involving Japanese, Taiwanese, and US forces. Tensions between China and Japan have remained high, particularly since remarks made last November by Takaichi suggesting that Japan could intervene militarily in a Taiwan contingency if it posed a "survival-threatening situation" for the country, the Taipei Times reported.
Chen also pointed to previous sanctions imposed by Beijing on Marco Rubio, suggesting that China may have to reconsider such measures ahead of a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He argued that such actions demonstrate the limited effectiveness of China's sanctions strategy, which may ultimately create further diplomatic challenges for Beijing.
Describing Beijing's approach to international relations as "truly regrettable," Chen said China is "creating issues out of thin air" and increasingly relying on coercive tactics due to declining diplomatic appeal. The Taipei Times report further quoted Chen as emphasising that Taiwan is not subordinate to China and that its relations with Japan are normal and internationally recognised. He added that China's actions reflect Taiwan's growing international standing, even as Beijing's credibility faces increasing scrutiny.
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