New york: China has sent a formal letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regarding recent remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concerning Taiwan, outlining Beijing's stance amid escalating tensions with Tokyo. China's Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, delivered the letter on Friday, criticizing Takaichi's comments as 'provocative.'

According to Anadolu Agency, this marks the first time since Japan's defeat in 1945 that a Japanese leader has publicly linked a Taiwan contingency with Japan's security and the exercise of the right of collective self-defense. Fu Cong expressed that Japan's remarks signal an ambition to intervene militarily in the Taiwan issue and represents a "threat of force" against China, challenging Beijing's core interests.

Fu emphasized that Takaichi's comments violate international law and undermine the post-war international order, posing an open provocation to the Chinese people and other Asian countries affected by past Japanese aggression. He reiterated that Taiwan is China's "sacred territory" and that resolving the Taiwan question is an internal matter for China, free from external interference.

In his letter, Fu requested that the UN chief circulate the document to all UN member states as an official document of the General Assembly. Takaichi, who was elected last month, had stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be a 'survival-threatening situation' for Japan, potentially justifying the exercise of collective self-defense.

In response to Takaichi's remarks, Beijing criticized her statements, which followed her recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. On Friday, Takaichi affirmed Japan's unchanged commitment to 'mutually beneficial' relations with China.

Following her comments on Taiwan, reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists canceled trips to Japan, and Beijing imposed a ban on seafood imports. Additionally, Beijing postponed a trilateral meeting of culture ministers with South Korea and Japan, which drew criticism from Tokyo.