China was reacting to recent comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Tokyo's possible military response in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi described her words as "shocking" and warned that Japan had crossed an unacceptable red line. Beijing sees the accusations of attempted military intervention as a threat to sovereignty and warns of a return of Japanese militarism.
Japan responded by dismissing China's claims as unacceptable, while Taiwan accused Beijing of distorting the facts and violating the UN Charter.
The dispute between the countries is gathering momentum and is already encroaching on the commercial and cultural arenas. China has also raised the situation at the United Nations.
