How can Lai Ching-te face history?​

Editor's note: Zheng Jian, a special commentator for CGTN, is vice chair of the Study and Research Committee of China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification. He is also an adjunct professor at the Taiwan Research Institute, Xiamen University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

New Japanese prime Minister Sanae Takaichi went beyond the U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity" on November 7, openly threatening military intervention in the Taiwan question. This unprecedented rhetoric has encouraged the separatist forces clamoring for "Taiwan independence" and constitutes a direct military threat to the Chinese.

Takaichi's tactic is consistent with those used by imperial Japan to launch the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894 and subsequent aggressions against China. It is also identical to the methods used by a series of post-war Japanese governments with right-wing tendencies to end the post-war system and restore the "Empire of Japan."

The pattern is to first exaggerate so-called "external threats," then create a situation of "national survival crisis," and finally "logically" advance political and war agendas.

Takaichi's predecessors used precisely this tactic 130 years ago, using the pretext of a "survival crisis situation" in Korea that was ostensibly threatening Japan to launch the First Sino-Japanese War. It resulted in the then Qing government of China being forced to cede Taiwan to Japan.

Subsequently, Japan subjected Taiwan to 50 years of colonial rule characterized by collective massacres, indiscriminate killing, public beheadings, and use of poison gas. Japanese military slaughtered 650,000 people, plundered Taiwan's wealth, and separated and displaced countless families.

In addition, during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Japan caused the death of up to 21 million people between 1931 and 1945, including compatriots in Taiwan. Both constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Not surprisingly, Takaichi's egregious remarks have been gleefully endorsed by Lai Ching-te, leader of the Taiwan region. Unlike global leaders who condemned the comments, Lai has shown no perturbance, vigilance, or anger at the sinister scheme to re-extend Japan's influence on Taiwan, stir up conflict in the Taiwan Straits, and seize advantage from a crisis.

On the contrary, he has accused the Chinese mainland of orchestrating "composite attacks" against Japan, and said he was "urging the mainland to exercise restraint and not become a 'troublemaker' for regional peace and stability."

This is rank distortion of facts as Lai aligns himself with Japanese right-wing forces. He has also intimidated and pressured the opposition parties on the island, demanding that they "respect Japan's political operations." At the same time, he is trying to cosy up to Japan by posting pictures on social media of him appreciatively eating Japanese cuisine.

He has also hinted that Taiwan would fill the "void" left by the mainland's suspension of imports of some Japanese goods.

Lai's actions stem from his longstanding, questionable political stance of "Taiwan independence" separatism, while fawning over Japan and ignoring its past colonialism. He is driven by an opportunistic need to find a lifeline amidst internal troubles and external threats.

Ignoring the slaughter of the 650,000 in Taiwan and 21 million compatriots by Japan, Lai Ching-te has shown his utter lack of moral consciousness and patriotism by supporting today's followers of Japanese militarism who want to challenge the Chinese nation once again.

At this critical moment, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits must unite and resist Japanese right-wing forces and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. They must remain vigilant against the possibility of further collusion between these forces, provocations, and even military actions and use their enhanced capabilities to deal with them decisively.

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