Chinese and Japanese diplomats and government spokespersons have frequently criticised each other in recent weeks, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that her country would respond militarily to a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan.

The long lifespan of the diplomatic row can be traced back not only to Taiwan’s importance for China but also to the regional heavyweights’ rivalry and complex history. Earlier this week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that “Any tolerance on the provocative words and deeds of Japanese right-wing forces will only revive the spectre of militarism and once again put the Asian people in danger.”

He referenced Japan’s military action and “mass killings” during World War 2, adding that “over 300,000 were murdered in the Nanjing massacr

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