China Summons Korean and Japanese Ambassadors to Protest "Attendance at Taiwan President's Inauguration Ceremony"

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Korean and Japanese charg?s d'affaires in China to protest over the Taiwan issue.

On the 22nd, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Liu Jinsong, Director-General of the Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 'met after agreeing to meet' (weijian) with Akira Yokochi, Senior Charg? d'Affaires of the Japanese Embassy in China, and Kim Han-gyu, Charg? d'Affaires of the Korean Embassy in China, respectively, and exchanged in-depth views on matters related to trilateral cooperation among China, Korea, and Japan," adding, "Director-General Liu also expressed China's firm position on the Taiwan issue."

This is interpreted as a move to take issue with the attendance of Korean and Japanese political figures at the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on the 20th. 'Weijian' is a diplomatic term used by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to indicate summoning foreign diplomats stationed in China to the Ministry or meeting them at a separate location to convey protests or complaints. In Korean diplomatic terminology, it corresponds to 'chochi' (summoning).

Newly inaugurated Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (right) waves alongside former President Tsai Ing-wen at the inauguration ceremony held in Taipei on the 20th. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that delegations from 51 countries and over 500 overseas guests attended the ceremony. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in Korea announced via social media that Cho Kyung-tae, a member of the National Assembly from the People Power Party and chairman of the Korea-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, among others, had 'unauthorizedly visited' Taiwan and attended the inauguration ceremony, and lodged a protest with Korea.

At that time, the Chinese Embassy in Korea emphasized, "This goes against the China-Korea strategic cooperative partnership," and urged, "We call on the Korean side to adhere to the One-China principle, not to interfere in China's internal affairs in any way, and not to support the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces."

Japan sent a delegation of 31 members, mainly from the pro-Taiwan bipartisan Japanese parliamentary group 'Nippon Kaigi Lawmakers' Meeting,' who attended the inauguration ceremony and also held a direct meeting with President Lai.