China restricts exports of dual-use items to Japan due to Taiwan tensions

China Imposes New Export Controls on Japan Amid Rising Tensions

China has introduced new export controls on Japan, citing concerns over dual-use items with military applications. The move comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations over Taiwan.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the ban is intended to safeguard national security and will apply to all items that could enhance Japan’s military capabilities. However, the notice does not specify which goods are subject to the ban.

Japan has responded by issuing a protest with China and demanding the withdrawal of the measures. Masaaki Kanai, secretary-general of Japan’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, described the ban as “absolutely unacceptable” and “deeply regrettable”, stating that it does not comply with international practice.

The export controls are part of a broader escalation in tensions between China and Japan over historical and territorial issues. In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, which Beijing views as a threat to its claims on the island.

China has long pledged to unify Taiwan with the Chinese mainland, using force if necessary. The move has been met with opposition from Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party, which considers the island a de facto independent country.

The export controls are the latest development in a series of tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan. The two nations have long had competing claims on the island, and relations have deteriorated significantly in recent years.

Source: Al Jazeera