China Threatens “Decisive Strike” if Japan Intervenes in Taiwan — As Tokyo Exposes Massive CCP-Backed Cyberattack

Beijing issued one of its harshest warnings in years, threatening a “firm and resolute response” — including military action — if Japan intervenes in a Taiwan Strait conflict. The statement, delivered by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of making “provocative” remarks about Taiwan’s security during Diet testimony last week.

The MFA claimed her comments “grossly violate” the One-China principle and constitute “a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs,” escalating Beijing’s recent use of historical and militarized language toward Japan.

China’s Warning: ‘Those Who Play With Fire Will Perish by It’

Beijing’s statement sharply escalated:

“If Japan should dare to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait situation, it would constitute an act of aggression and would face a firm and resolute response from China… Those who play with fire will perish by it!”

China also accused Japan of “reviving militarism,” “challenging the post-WWII international order,” and attempting to “make enemy with the Chinese and other Asian people.”

U.S. Ambassador Responds: “The Mask Slips — Again.”

In response to the earlier incident involving the Chinese Consul General in Osaka — who threatened to “chop off filthy heads” — U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass publicly condemned the rhetoric.

His statement:

“The mask slips — again. (...) Just a few months ago, Xue compared Israel with Nazi Germany. Now, he threatens Prime Minister Takaichi and the Japanese people. Time for Beijing to behave like the ‘good neighbor’ it talks repeatedly about — but fails repeatedly to become.”

These remarks were made before today’s MFA statement, but are part of Washington’s ongoing response to China’s threats toward Japanese officials.

Context: Taiwan Is Not Part of the People’s Republic of China

While Beijing describes Taiwan as part of its territory, Taiwan has never been governed by the People’s Republic of China.The PRC has never administered Taiwan, not for a single day since its founding in 1949.

Taiwan functions as a self-governed, democratic state with:

• its own constitution,

• elected president and legislature,

• independent military,

• separate currency,

• and its own foreign and trade policy.

More than 99% of Taiwan’s population was born after 1949, meaning almost no one alive in Taiwan has ever lived under PRC rule.

Internationally, the vast majority of countries maintain “strategic ambiguity” — acknowledging the PRC’s position while not recognizing Beijing’s sovereignty over Taiwan. The U.S., Japan, and Europe all treat Taiwan as a distinct political and economic entity, even without formal diplomatic recognition.

Japan Exposes Massive China-Backed Cyber Operation

During her Diet testimony, Prime Minister Takaichi also revealed that a Chinese state-linked hacking group — STORM-0940 — infiltrated TP-Link routers using malicious firmware, hijacking over 16,000 devices globally.

The cyber operation enabled the group to:

• reroute attacks through civilian infrastructure

• mask intrusions into private and government systems

• build a large botnet under CCP control

The revelation intensified concerns inside Japan’s national security establishment and reinforced calls to limit dependence on Chinese-made networking hardware.

Rising Tensions Across the Region

The confrontation comes as Taiwan expands diplomatic engagement with Europe — including high-level visits to Brussels and Berlin — moves Beijing strongly opposes.

Japan’s position is also shifting. By stating that a war in Taiwan could qualify as an “existential threat,” PM Takaichi signaled that Tokyo may consider limited military involvement under its constitutional framework.

Combined with the fresh cyberattack revelations, Beijing’s threat underscores how quickly the strategic environment in East Asia is evolving.