Neutrality Studies Diplomatic Crisis Deepens: Japan & China on the Brink | Dr. Warwick Powell
Nov 21, 2025
Join Dr. Warwick Powell, an expert in geopolitics and regional security, as he unpacks the escalating tensions between Japan and China following provocative remarks by Japan's new Prime Minister. He explores the historical context of their relationship, the implications of Taiwan comments, and how the flight cancellations reflect deeper diplomatic rifts. Powell also discusses the US's strategic advantage in this clash and the potential benefits for Taiwan amid the fallout, highlighting the broader ramifications for regional stability and security.
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Taiwan Remarks Broke Postwar Diplomatic Taboo
- Japan's PM framed Taiwan as a potential survival issue, provoking a major diplomatic backlash from China.
- That stance reopened historical wounds and undermined post-1972 normalization promises between Beijing and Tokyo.
Perception Of Shift Threatens One-China Status
- Beijing views any Japanese readiness to use force around Taiwan as a signal Japan no longer treats Taiwan as a Chinese domestic issue.
- That perception fuels fears of a Western-driven 'salami slicing' of the one-China status quo.
Malaysia Visit Stirred Regional Suspicions
- Warwick noted the prime minister's Malaysia visit where she paid respects at a cemetery for Japanese WWII soldiers.
- That gesture and her revisionist tendencies exacerbated regional suspicions about Japanese remilitarization.