Russia, China agree to thwart efforts to revive ‘Japanese militarism’

Russia and China agreed Tuesday to counter any attempts to revive “Japanese militarism,” according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, as Beijing continues to criticize Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over remarks suggesting Tokyo could respond if Taiwan comes under attack.

The agreement was reached during a meeting in Moscow between China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and Sergei Shoigu, secretary of the Russian Security Council, with Russia’s Tass news agency reporting that Shoigu warned of a “militaristic hydra once again rearing its head.”

China has invoked past Japanese military aggression since Takaichi stated in parliament on Nov. 7 that a military attack on Taiwan could present a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan. China views the self-ruled democratic island as part of its territory.

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During the meeting with Wang, Shoigu said Japan is among the countries that “have expressed a desire for revenge for past defeats” but “Moscow and China have sufficient experience in defeating it,” according to Tass.

“Russia and China share a common understanding of the inadmissibility of attempts to falsify history,” he was quoted as saying.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Shoigu also noted that Russia firmly adheres to the “one-China principle” and supports China’s position on the Taiwan question.

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Wang met separately with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and called for “the outcomes of the World War II victory” to be safeguarded, the Chinese ministry added.

Communist-ruled China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 after a civil war. China views the island as a breakaway province to be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. /dl