INTERVIEW / China-Japan situation reflects 'wolf warrior' approach: Taiwan diplomat

Taipei, Dec. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) has said that Beijing's actions toward Japan in the past few weeks reflect its long-standing "wolf warrior diplomacy" intimidation approach.

"China has long been accustomed to bullying-style operations, with opaque decision-making and a lack of democracy," Lee told CNA in a recent interview.

The diplomat said tensions between China and Japan have continued to rise, with Beijing having adopted what he described as a combined economic, diplomatic, political and military "compound attack" strategy.

Lee cited China's recent military activities in the Yellow Sea, including multiple drills and radar-locking incidents involving Japan Self-Defense Force aircraft, which he described as provocations comparable to "pulling out a gun and preparing to pull the trigger."

The latest developments also underscore U.S. support for Japan, pointing to recent flights by American bombers over the Sea of Japan, he added.

Those actions, Lee said, align with the United States' National Security Strategy (NSS), which calls on allies such as Japan, South Korea and Australia to significantly increase defense spending to maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Japanese support for 'firm' stance against China

Lee said prospects for a short-term thaw in tensions between China and Japan are not optimistic, citing Beijing's demand that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retract remarks about a potential "Taiwan contingency" affecting Japan.

On Nov. 7, Takaichi told the Japanese parliament that use of force against Taiwan by China would constitute a "survival-threatening" crisis for Japan that would warrant a military response from Tokyo.

Takaichi has made it clear she will not change her position, making it difficult for bilateral tensions to improve, Lee told CNA.

He pointed to Japanese public opinion polls showing Takaichi's approval rating has remained at around 70 percent, adding that about half of respondents supported her remarks, while only around 20 percent opposed them.

Lee, who has served as Taiwan's top diplomat to Japan since September 2024, said that while tensions between China and Japan remain high, the likelihood of a full-scale deterioration is limited.

Japan's position in global semiconductor supply chains, he said, is particularly critical, with a 50 percent market share in semiconductor materials and a 30 percent in equipment -- much of which is exported to China.

"If Japan were to use this as a countermeasure, China would also suffer a major impact," Lee said, adding that Beijing is therefore unlikely to escalate pressure indefinitely.

Opportunities for Taiwan-Japan relations

Lee suggested Japan's rising tensions with China underscore the strategic value of Taiwan-Japan cooperation.

He said the two countries' economies are highly complementary in areas such as semiconductors and drone technology, and it is an optimal time to jointly build supply chains independent of China and pursue a "next wave of economic growth."

China remains Japan's largest source of imports and its second-largest export market, but the performance of Japanese companies in China has declined, he said.

He cited Nissan as an example, saying the automotive company's sales in China have fallen to about half of their peak levels.

The number of Japanese companies operating in China, he continued, has dropped by more than 10 percent from a peak of around 14,400 in 2012.

By contrast, Lee said Taiwan adjusted its supply chains earlier, with investment in China falling from a peak of 84 percent in 2010 to 7.5 percent last year.

Taiwan's gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year is about 7.4 percent, compared with Japan's roughly 1.3 percent, he said.

"If Taiwan had not withdrawn quickly from the China market all those years ago, it would be impossible to have such strong economic growth today," Lee said.