Taipei denounces China after pro-Taiwan Japanese lawmaker sanctioned

Taipei, March 31 (CNA) Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺) on Tuesday denounced China's latest sanctions against pro-Taiwan veteran Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, saying the move once again exposed Beijing's increasingly coercive "cross-border repression."

China has repeatedly resorted to such "cross-border repression," revealing that it can no longer appeal to the international community and instead relies on coercion and threats, Chen told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative session.

Chen added that Furuya, who heads the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council, which comprises around 300 Diet members and serves as a friendship association between the parliaments of Japan and Taiwan, is a long-time friend of the country, for which the government expressed its gratitude.

Chen made the remarks when asked to comment after Beijing announced Monday that Furuya, a senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party who has served in the House of Representatives since 1990, would be banned from entering China.

China's foreign ministry accused Furuya of colluding with "separatist forces" in Taiwan, citing his visits to the country as acts carried out "in defiance of China's strong opposition."

Furuya has visited Taiwan almost annually, most recently in early March to attend a government-funded international seminar.

In response, Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki accused China of using Furuya's conduct "as a pretext to intimidate those with differing views," calling the move "absolutely unacceptable."

Furuya, meanwhile, told reporters that Beijing's sanctions would have little impact, noting that he has not visited China in decades and holds no assets there.