Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen visited Japan on the 7th of this month to attend a game of the World Baseball Classic, which sparked criticism from China. The Vice Director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Guo Jiaqin, publicly stated that Japan would 'certainly pay a price' for facilitating the visit of a senior Taiwanese official. This situation is notable because Japan and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations, making the visit unprecedented, which the Chinese government views as a provocative act towards Taiwan's independence aspirations.

Guo's comments included sharp rebukes directed at Chen, labeling him as harboring shameless intentions and engaging in stealthy activities to provoke independence through his visit. He emphasized that Japan's actions regarding the Taiwan issue are unacceptable and warned that they should be prepared to take full responsibility for the repercussions, implying that Japan's attempts to navigate the complexities of the Taiwan issue will not be overlooked by Beijing.

In response to China's allegations, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno held a press conference where he clarified that Chen's visit was private and not sanctioned by the Japanese government. He remarked that the Taiwanese side characterized the trip as a personal visit and thus the government would refrain from official engagement or comments regarding the matter. This tension reflects the ongoing and complex dynamics between China, Taiwan, and Japan, especially in light of recent events regarding Taiwan's international presence and Japan's diplomatic positioning in the region.