The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said Aso's remarks in Canberra on Monday were meant to "once again wantonly provoke and interfere in China's internal affairs on the Taiwan issue." Beijing regards the self-ruled democratic island as its territory. Aso also called for expanding AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership involving Australia, Britain and the United States, to include Japan, making it JAUKUS. China and Taiwan have been separately governed since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. Beijing regards the island as a renegade province to be brought under its control, by force if necessary.

Source: New York Times November 16, 2023 03:45 UTC