A Chinese diplomat’s violent threat against Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following her remarks on defending Taiwan marks a dangerous escalation in East Asian tensions, revealing Beijing’s growing intolerance for dissent and the fragility of regional diplomacy.
Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian (薛劍) on Saturday posted a chilling message on X: “the dirty neck that sticks itself in must be cut off,” in reference to Takaichi’s remark to Japanese lawmakers that an attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival.
The post, which was later deleted, was not an isolated outburst. Xue has also amplified other incendiary messages, including one suggesting that Japan would provoke an immediate Chinese retaliation if it attacked Chinese forces.
At the heart of the diplomatic firestorm lies Taiwan, a democracy that China claims as its own and Japan increasingly sees as a strategic partner.
Takaichi’s comments reflect a growing consensus in Tokyo: A Chinese invasion or blockade of Taiwan would not be a distant regional issue, but a direct threat to Japan’s national security. Japan’s southwestern islands lie perilously close to Taiwan, and any conflict could disrupt sea lanes, endanger Japanese citizens and destabilize the region.
However, Beijing views such statements as provocations. The violent rhetoric from Xue signals a shift from diplomatic rebuttal to personal intimidation — a tactic that undermines norms of international conduct and reveals the depth of China’s sensitivity on Taiwan.
The episode exposes the erosion of civility in international relations, especially when authoritarian regimes feel cornered. Threatening a foreign leader with decapitation is not just grotesque — it is a symptom of a deeper malaise: The weaponization of language to silence dissent and intimidate democratic actors.
It also raises questions about the limits of diplomatic immunity and accountability. Should a diplomat who issues violent threats remain in their position? Should host countries tolerate such behavior under the guise of free speech or cultural misunderstanding?
Japan’s response has been measured, but firm. Yet the international community must go further. Violent threats against elected leaders cannot be normalized. As Taiwan’s future hangs in the balance, democracies must stand together — not just in defense of territory, but of dignity, dialogue and the rule of law.
Khedroob Thondup is a former member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile.
The image was oddly quiet. No speeches, no flags, no dramatic announcements — just a Chinese cargo ship cutting through arctic ice and arriving in Britain in October. The Istanbul Bridge completed a journey that once existed only in theory, shaving weeks off traditional shipping routes. On paper, it was a story about efficiency. In strategic terms, it was about timing. Much like politics, arriving early matters. Especially when the route, the rules and the traffic are still undefined. For years, global politics has trained us to watch the loud moments: warships in the Taiwan Strait, sanctions announced at news conferences, leaders trading
The saga of Sarah Dzafce, the disgraced former Miss Finland, is far more significant than a mere beauty pageant controversy. It serves as a potent and painful contemporary lesson in global cultural ethics and the absolute necessity of racial respect. Her public career was instantly pulverized not by a lapse in judgement, but by a deliberate act of racial hostility, the flames of which swiftly encircled the globe. The offensive action was simple, yet profoundly provocative: a 15-second video in which Dzafce performed the infamous “slanted eyes” gesture — a crude, historically loaded caricature of East Asian features used in Western
Is a new foreign partner for Taiwan emerging in the Middle East? Last week, Taiwanese media reported that Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) secretly visited Israel, a country with whom Taiwan has long shared unofficial relations but which has approached those relations cautiously. In the wake of China’s implicit but clear support for Hamas and Iran in the wake of the October 2023 assault on Israel, Jerusalem’s calculus may be changing. Both small countries facing literal existential threats, Israel and Taiwan have much to gain from closer ties. In his recent op-ed for the Washington Post, President William
A stabbing attack inside and near two busy Taipei MRT stations on Friday evening shocked the nation and made headlines in many foreign and local news media, as such indiscriminate attacks are rare in Taiwan. Four people died, including the 27-year-old suspect, and 11 people sustained injuries. At Taipei Main Station, the suspect threw smoke grenades near two exits and fatally stabbed one person who tried to stop him. He later made his way to Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store near Zhongshan MRT Station, where he threw more smoke grenades and fatally stabbed a person on a scooter by the roadside.
RSS