Dharamshala, 2nd November: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned China that any conflict with Taiwan would draw in Japan and its ally, the United States, and warned of severe consequences if Beijing took military action against Taipei. Abe said acts of an increasingly powerful China toward Japan and Taiwan would likely become more complex, blurring the boundary between war and peace, in a video address to an audience in Taiwan on Wednesday. The senior Tokyo politician made some of the most pointed remarks about tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Abe stood down as Prime Minister last year due to bad health.

Abe warned china that a military adventure would be the path to economic suicide and Japan must keep reiterating that peaceful ties between China and Taiwan are the only option. Abe’s comments came after China flew a new sortie of warplanes toward Taiwan on Sunday in reaction to a visit by a group of US congressmen. Despite never having ruled the island, China’s Communist Party regards it as part of its territory and strives to prevent any official interactions with other countries.

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party claims the island is a de facto sovereign republic that is not part of Chinese territory and is awaiting international recognition. The Taiwan Strait, according to the current Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, maybe the next major diplomatic difficulty Tokyo faces, and Japan should attempt to collaborate with Taiwan and countries that share its principles of liberty, democracy, and the rule of law. Senior Japanese Legislators have been increasingly speaking out about the importance of Taiwan to Japan’s security as a result of Beijing’s clampdown in Hong Kong, causing Beijing annoyance.

Abe stated that any armed invasion of Taiwan would pose a major threat to Japan. A Taiwan crisis would be a Japanese crisis, and hence a crisis for the Japan-US alliance; emphasizing the importance of Chinese President Xi Jinping grasping the situation. According to Abe, democratic citizens should keep reminding Xi and Chinese Communist Party officials not to go down the wrong path. Abe also stated that despite its size, China’s ties to the rest of the globe mean that any aggressiveness on its side would harm the country’s economy.

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