Taiwan president reveals assist for Japan in China dispute with sushi lunch

[ad_1] TAIPEI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te confirmed his assist for Japan on Thursday with a lunch of Japanese-sourced sushi, after China indicated it could halt all imports of the nation's seafood in an escalating dispute over the Chinese language-claimed island.

Tensions between the 2 international locations ignited after new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated this month {that a} Chinese language assault on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival may set off a army response. Join <a data-testid="Link" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-president-shows-support-japan-china-dispute-with-sushi-lunch-2025-11-20/undefined?location=article-paragraph&redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fchina%2Ftaiwan-president-shows-support-japan-china-dispute-with-sushi-lunch-2025-11-20%2F" class="text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC">here.

Lai, in footage on his social media feeds, confirmed himself consuming a sushi lunch of yellowtail from Japan's Kagoshima and scallops from Hokkaido.

"As we speak's lunch is sushi and miso soup," he wrote on his Fb and Instagram feeds, and used the identical wording in Japanese on his X account.

Taiwan's authorities, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has lately been subjected to related meals export bans by China, together with of Taiwanese pineapples and fish , in what Taipei has stated is a part of a Chinese language strain marketing campaign. Chatting with reporters at parliament earlier on Thursday, Taiwan Overseas Minister Lin Chia-lung stated China's use of financial coercion and army intimidation to "bully different nations are already too quite a few to say individually.

"At this essential juncture, we should additionally assist Japan in successfully stabilising the scenario and halting the Chinese language communists' bullying behaviour," he stated.

Addressing lawmakers later, Lin stated Taiwanese ought to make extra visits to Japan and purchase extra Japanese items to indicate their friendship with the nation.

In Beijing, Chinese language international ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated Taiwan was an inseparable a part of China's territory.

"It doesn't matter what present the Lai Ching-te authorities placed on, it can not change this ironclad reality," she added.

Beijing views democratically ruled Taiwan as its personal territory and has not dominated out the usage of pressure to take management of the island. Taiwan's authorities rejects Beijing's claims and says solely the island's folks can resolve their future.

Japan and Taiwan have an in depth although unofficial relationship and deep cultural and enterprise ties. Japan dominated Taiwan, which lies simply over 110 km (68 miles) from Japanese territory at its closest level, from 1895 till the tip of World Warfare Two in 1945.