CHINA’S ambassador to the United Nations on Monday delivered another letter to the United Nations, rejecting what Beijing calls Japan’s “unreasonable arguments” over Taiwan.

In a letter to the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, China’s permanent UN representative Fu Cong said China “firmly opposes” Japan’s letter to the UN and called it “dodging the key issues, while groundlessly accusing China and seeking to shift blame.”

The latest move comes amid an exchange of letters between the two missions. Ambassador Fu recently sent a letter to Mr Guterres, prompting a response from Japan’s UN ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki, who also wrote to the UN.

Mr Fu said the direct cause of the “serious differences” between the two countries were the recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on November 7, who suggested that a “Taiwan contingency” could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan and implied possible military involvement.

Japan’s Peace Constitution bars it from taking military action, except in self-defence. Japan conquered Taiwan from China in 1895, and ruled it until its defeat in the second world war, when it was returned to China.

Ambassador Fu said such remarks challenge the outcomes of World War II, undermine the post-war international order and are a violation of the UN Charter.

He urged Japan to clarify what it calls its “consistent position” on Taiwan. “The Japanese side has continued to evade the question and has yet to give China a direct answer.” Under the One-China policy, all countries recognise Taiwan as Chinese, and formal diplomatic relations are only possible with either the Beijing or Taipei government.

Mr Fu also warned of Japan’s attempts to “expand its military capabilities and revive militarism,” saying that Japan had increased defence spending for many years, adjusted arms-export principles and was debating nuclear-related policies.

“Ms Takaichi’s erroneous words and deeds have severely undermined the mutual trust between China and Japan and damaged the political foundation of China-Japan relations,” Ambassador Fu said, adding that Japan should “clearly reaffirm the One-China principle.”