Japan's upholding of one-China principle appreciated

China is firmly committed to achieving peaceful reunification. However, if the forces advocating for "Taiwan independence" do not give peaceful reunification a chance, they will face a strong reaction from the Chinese people, said a senior Communist Party of China official during his current visit to Japan.

At an event sponsored by the Japan-China Society in Tokyo on Wednesday, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said: "The Japanese government has repeatedly reiterated its adherence to the one-China principle, and we appreciate this. On the Taiwan question, there is a consensus between China and Japan, and there are documents between the two countries that stipulate this. We hope that these provisions and this consensus will be effectively implemented."

He told the audience that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and is a very serious matter, highly significant in the minds of the Chinese people. He suggested that Japanese people might not fully understand this sentiment.

In addressing the challenge posed by proponents of "Taiwan independence", neither the government nor the people in the Chinese mainland can afford to be ambiguous or take chances, as these forces are the greatest challenge to China's reunification and its territorial integrity, Liu said.

He emphasized that any violation of China's territorial integrity is an unbearable weight for the Chinese nation. Therefore, the central government in the Chinese mainland must make its policy clear and unequivocal, responsibly demonstrating to the world the mainland's firm stance against "Taiwan independence".

"China is firmly committed to achieving peaceful reunification. This is our ideal goal. However, if the forces advocating for 'Taiwan independence' do not give peaceful reunification a chance and insist on moving toward 'Taiwan independence', they will face a strong reaction from the Chinese people," Liu said.

During the event, Junya Ogawa, a member of Japan's House of Representatives, expressed a desire for China to lift its ban on the imports of aquatic products originating from Japan.