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Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Photo: VCG

China strongly deplores and firmly opposes Japan's joint maritime exercise with the Taiwan region, and has lodged protests with Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press conference on Friday, urging Japan to adhere to the one-China principle, refrain from conniving at or supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in any form  and stop disrupting cross-Strait peace and stability and China-Japan relations.

The coast guards of Taiwan island and Japan reportedly conducted a joint drill on Thursday in the sea south of the Boso Peninsula near Tokyo. This is the first maritime exercise between the two coast guards since Japan severed "diplomatic ties" with the island in 1972, according to Japanese media.

Japan has made serious commitments to China on the Taiwan question, including not supporting "two Chinas," "one China, one Taiwan" or "Taiwan independence." This is the stance and principles that Japan must uphold, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin said. 

We urge Japan to adhere to the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, correct the wrongdoing at once, refrain from conniving at or supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in any form, Lin said.

Jan should stay prudent on issues related to the East and South China Seas, and stop disrupting cross-Straits peace and stability and China-Japan relations, said Lin. 

The joint drill between Japan and Taiwan island undoubtedly represents a serious departure from Japan's commitments and basic policies on the Taiwan question since the normalization of China-Japan relations in 1972. It is a significant and misguided action, deliberately provoking the one-China principle, according to Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, who spoke to the Global Times on Friday.

Japan's engagement with Taiwan island has expanded from maritime drills to the military field, as Japan escalates efforts to break its post-war military restrictions and pursues a "salami-slicing" tactic to deepen concrete exchanges with the island, aimed at containing China, Xiang said. 

The expert noted that Japan's increased involvement in the Taiwan question has strained China-Japan relations, undermining the political foundation of bilateral ties. Additionally, Japan has been at a dead end in using Taiwan island to contain China, and this path could only destabilize the Taiwan Straits and the broader region, Xiang noted. 

Analysts emphasized that Taiwan is part of China and the Taiwan question brooks no external interference. 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu has been invited to visit Japan and South Korea to attend a China-Japan strategic dialogue and China-South Korea high-level strategic dialogue between foreign ministries, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin announced on Friday. It's hoped that Japan should refrain from meddling in China's international affairs to foster a conducive atmosphere for bilateral exchanges.