Travel alert about Japan secures safety of Chinese

China's latest travel alert issued to Chinese citizens about avoiding trips to Japan in the near future marks a duty that Chinese diplomatic missions should fulfill, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the comment when asked about Japanese media reports that linked the travel alert to countering provocative remarks about China's Taiwan that were made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last month in parliament.

"Compatriots in Japan should closely monitor emergency alerts regarding earthquakes and secondary disasters," said the advisory issued on Thursday by the ministry and China's embassy and consulates in Japan.

The alert also asked Chinese citizens to follow local evacuation instructions, enhance personal safety precautions and stay away from high-risk areas such as coastal zones.

Guo said at a daily news conference on Thursday in Beijing that Japan has recently experienced a series of earthquakes that have led to injuries, and tsunamis have been observed in multiple areas of Japan.

Over 100,000 people in Japan have received evacuation orders, and Japanese authorities have said that larger earthquakes could follow, he added.

"The Chinese government has issued timely consular advisories out of its responsibility for the safety and health of Chinese citizens," Guo said.

"Safeguarding the safety of Chinese citizens overseas is both a fundamental duty of China's diplomacy and a natural part of its people-centered diplomacy," he added.

Meanwhile, Tokyo in recent days has expressed concerns regarding the joint strategic aerial patrol conducted by China and Russia near Japan.

In response, Guo said that the patrol is part of the annual cooperation plan, and it demonstrates "both sides' resolve and capability to jointly address security challenges in the region and maintain regional peace and stability".

"There is no need for Japan to make a big fuss or assume it is being targeted," he added.

Takaichi has repeatedly said that Japan is "open to dialogue with China at various levels".

In response, Guo quoted a recent remark by Atsushi Okamoto, former CEO of Japanese publishing house Iwanami Shoten.

"Prime Minister Takaichi frequently mentioned 'dialogue', but a real dialogue begins with respecting the other side and understanding each other on an equal footing. Takaichi's attitude makes dialogue impossible," Okamoto said.

Guo said Okamoto's remark "hits the heart of the matter".

"Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks on Taiwan have not only sparked strong anger among the Chinese people, but also drawn increasing objective and rational voices of opposition and criticism within Japan," he said.

Wang Peng, a research fellow at Huazhong University of Science and Technology's Institute of State Governance, said the Takaichi Cabinet "has dealt heavy damage to the political foundation of China-Japan ties by linking the Taiwan question to Tokyo's security agenda".

"The Cabinet has taken advantage of the increasing security anxiety among Japan's conservative political forces," he added.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn