China warns Japan would 'suffer a crushing defeat' if it dared to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait

China has warned its citizens against travelling to Japan as it escalates a backlash over comments by the country’s Prime Minister about the island of Taiwan, CNN reported yesterday (17)

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The dictum is Beijing’s most substantive retaliation yet to Sanae Takaichi’s remarks. Even as it may be more symbolic than anything, the move suggests Beijing is willing to wield its economic heft to press geopolitical points, a well-worn playbook.

Recent “blatantly provocative remarks on Taiwan” have “further damaged the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges... creating additional risks to the safety and security of Chinese citizens in Japan,” a statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday.

The ministry and its missions “remind Chinese citizens to refrain from visiting Japan for the time being,” it said.