Briefings - 23. page

China’s state broadcaster CCTV aired a video on October 9 targeting Taiwanese legislator Shen Po-yang, featuring legal experts who claimed Beijing could seek his arrest worldwide through Interpol and cross-border law enforcement cooperation. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council issued its strongest condemnation to date, calling the move an intimidation tactic meant to coerce Taiwanese citizens into self-censorship.

Shen has been outspoken on defending Taiwan against Chinese influence operations, pushing legislation involving international law, propaganda warfare, national security, and “gray-zone” threats. On October 15, 2024, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office placed him on its list of so-called “Taiwan independence diehards” and announced sanctions against him.

The Chongqing Public Security Bureau has since opened a case against Shen. In CCTV’s broadcast, several legal scholars argued that Beijing could use global policing mechanisms to pursue him abroad. The segment closed with a direct warning to all pro-independence voices: “Stop now, or you’ll be next.”

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council denounced the video as a dangerous escalation, saying Beijing is moving from targeting individual politicians to threatening the broader population—an attempt to impose a chilling effect on free speech. The council described the campaign as transnational repression that violates international law and poses a challenge to global norms.

According to the council, China aims to create a misleading international narrative that it holds legal jurisdiction over Taiwan. Officials cautioned that such operations could eventually threaten ordinary Taiwanese citizens, not just elected representatives. The government, they said, is working with democratic partners to counter unlawful cross-border repression and resist China’s claims of long-arm jurisdiction.

The council reiterated that Beijing has no authority over Taiwan and assured the public that Taiwan has both the ability and determination to protect its people.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 9, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511090124.aspx

Beijing is intensifying pressure on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her statements about Taiwan, with Chinese state media declaring that China has prepared substantial countermeasures against Japan. The government-affiliated media outlet threatened to impose sanctions on Japanese officials and suspend bilateral exchanges across economic, diplomatic, and military channels if necessary.

The escalating tensions stem from Takaichi’s November 7 remarks stating that “a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency” and suggesting Japan might exercise collective self-defense rights. Despite immediate Chinese protests, Takaichi refused to withdraw her comments on November 10, claiming they aligned with Japan’s established policy position. This prompted China to elevate its diplomatic response, with the Foreign Ministry’s vice minister summoning Japan’s ambassador on November 13 under special instructions from higher authorities—the first time such language has been used in Sino-Japanese relations.

Chinese state media characterized Takaichi’s statements as the most serious provocation since Japan’s 1945 defeat, warning that China’s patience has limits. The outlet emphasized that China has provided Japan with sufficient opportunities to correct course, demanding Tokyo deeply reflect on its historical responsibilities and immediately retract the offensive remarks. If Japan persists, China warned it would no longer show restraint.

The threatened countermeasures include sanctions against Japanese politicians, drawing from China’s existing list of penalties where approximately eighty percent involve Taiwan-related issues. China also noted its position as Japan’s largest trading partner, suggesting economic leverage, as Japanese imports are highly dependent on Chinese goods. Additionally, Chinese authorities issued travel warnings advising citizens to avoid Japan, signaling official recognition of substantial threats to bilateral relations. The state media concluded with militaristic rhetoric, invoking China’s aircraft carriers and missile capabilities as implicit warnings about the consequences of Japanese intervention in Taiwan matters.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 15, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511150189.aspx

A social media post by Xue Jian, China’s Consul General in Osaka, has ignited a serious diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo. The controversy erupted after Xue posted inflammatory remarks on X in response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary comments on a potential Taiwan contingency.

Citing an Asahi Shimbun report on Takaichi’s remarks, Xue wrote: “For that dirty head that presumptuously extends itself over, there is no choice but to chop it off without hesitation. Are you prepared?” The post included an angry emoji and was interpreted as a direct threat related to Japan’s position that Chinese military action against Taiwan could trigger an “existential crisis” under Japan’s security laws.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted swiftly. On November 9, Masaaki Kanai, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, lodged a strong protest with the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo. Although Xue deleted the post after the complaint, he posted again the same day, asserting that “if Taiwan has an incident, Japan has an incident” was a “path to death chosen by some foolish Japanese politicians,” and accused Japan—a “defeated nation”—of ignoring its obligations under the UN Charter’s enemy-state clauses.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara confirmed on November 10 that the government had verified Xue authored the posts and filed a formal protest through diplomatic channels. He called the remarks “extremely inappropriate” for a diplomatic representative, though he declined to say whether Japan would seek Xue’s removal.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Takaichi stood by her parliamentary comments during budget committee questioning, while acknowledging she would refrain from making similar hypothetical statements going forward.

Source: Radio France International, November 10, 2025
https://rfi.my/CAf3

China has signed a Framework Agreement on Enhancing Economic Partnership with several Pacific Island nations, a move experts say represents a major development opportunity for the South Pacific. According to Zhao Shaofeng, director of the Pacific Island Countries Research Center at Liaocheng University in Shandong, China, the agreement lays crucial groundwork for regional integration and deeper connectivity with the broader Asia-Pacific economy.

On November 4, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held talks with representatives from the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Vanuatu, and Fiji before signing bilateral cooperation documents. The framework covers trade in goods and services, investment, regulatory alignment, and practical cooperation. Its goal is to expand bilateral trade, channel more investment into Pacific Island economies, accelerate industrialization and agricultural modernization, and strengthen their participation in global supply chains.

The five signatories span both Micronesia and Melanesia. Zhao noted that China’s large consumer market and technological advantages—particularly in artificial intelligence and deep-sea exploration—can inject fresh momentum into sustainable development across the region. The agreement also comes at a critical time, as Pacific Island nations begin implementing their “Blue Pacific Continent 2050 Strategy,” which requires extensive financial, technological, and human resources.

Zhao contrasted China’s approach with that of Western countries, arguing that Western powers have emphasized military projects and religious institutions while neglecting the economic modernization needs of Pacific Island nations. Despite multiple proposals from Western governments in recent years, he said, tangible results remain limited, making Pacific Island governments eager to pursue opportunities linked to China’s economic growth.

China’s engagement with Pacific Island nations spans more than 20 years and covers over 20 sectors. Trade surged from $153 million in 1992 to $5.3 billion in 2021—more than a thirtyfold increase. In May, China pledged $2 million to support climate initiatives and committed to completing 200 community-oriented projects. A recent report by Australia’s Lowy Institute noted China’s “extraordinary adaptability,” highlighting Beijing’s shift from large infrastructure loans toward grant aid and smaller projects, signaling a more mature approach to development assistance.

Source: Sputnik News, November 7, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20251107/1068261502.html

Chinese buyers are receiving Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) at prices 20–30 percent below global market rates, according to Japanese media reports, becoming the primary beneficiaries of Washington’s expanded sanctions on Moscow’s energy sector. Data from European research firm Kpler shows China has received 13 cargoes of Russian LNG so far.

In mid-October, the United States pressed Japan and European governments to halt Russian LNG purchases. Yet the market has shown little sign of tightening. Asian spot LNG prices for January 2026 delivery remain around $11.0 to $11.5 per million BTU—far below the spikes seen at the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The report attributes this price stability to increased production from new LNG facilities in the United States and elsewhere, alongside continued flows of Russian LNG reaching China through discreet routes despite Western embargoes. Kpler’s vessel-tracking data shows a Russian LNG carrier unloaded at Beihai Port in Guangxi on October 30, delivering gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project.

Arctic LNG 2 has been under U.S. sanctions since 2023, with Washington imposing secondary sanctions risks on any companies trading with the project. That pressure deterred global buyers for months. However, China unexpectedly began accepting shipments in August. Beijing has concentrated Arctic LNG 2 cargoes at Beihai Port, which has limited exposure to global financial networks, reducing the risk of secondary sanctions.

The United States has not imposed secondary sanctions directly on China. Industry sources in Japan say LNG from Arctic LNG 2 sold exclusively to China is being traded at a 20–30 percent discount to market prices. As China increases purchases of Russian LNG and pipeline gas, its imports of U.S. LNG have fallen to zero.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), November 7, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202511070144.aspx

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that, more than two years after imports of Japanese seafood were completely suspended by the Chinese government due to the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s wastewater discharge into the ocean, imports from Japan have been permitted to resume. However, only a small number of Japanese exporters are currently authorized to export seafood to China, while hundreds more are still awaiting approval.

In August 2023, the Japanese government approved Tokyo Electric Power Company’s decision to dump treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the near sea. China, citing safety concerns, imposed a comprehensive ban on Japanese seafood. Following a summit meeting between the two countries’ leaders, China announced in June of this year that it would allow the resumption of seafood imports from 37 Japanese regions. However, agricultural and seafood products from ten other regions, including Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures, remain banned.

However, after China announced the lifting of restrictions in June, 697 Japanese companies submitted applications for registration and provided test samples. As of now, only three Japanese companies had passed the tests for tritium and other radioactive substances.

Before the Chinese ban, China was Japan’s largest export market for seafood, accounting for 22.5 percent of Japan’s total seafood exports. If Hong Kong’s 19.5 percent is included, the export volume to China reaches 42 percent.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, November 7, 2025, 2025
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/world/story20251107-7786359