Japan Wary of Xi's More Hard-Line Stance on Taiwan

Tokyo, Oct. 25 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is wary that Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who entered his third term in power over the weekend, may take a more hard-line stance to achieve his goal of taking control of Taiwan.

Tokyo is planning to call on China through dialogue to exercise restraint on its assertive moves in the region, including maritime expansion in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said, "It is important to spend time discussing various pending issues and other matters to build a constructive and stable relationship between Japan and China."

Xi reiterated at the latest Chinese Communist Party congress that Beijing would take control of Taiwan by force if necessary.

"Unification with Taiwan is his unswerving goal," a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said of the Chinese leader.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]