Taiwan President Lai Ching-te posted photographs on social media Thursday of himself eating sushi made with yellowtail from Kagoshima and scallops from Hokkaido to demonstrate support for Japan amid a sharpening diplomatic confrontation with China.
The presidential lunch was a deliberate act of alignment after Tokyo received indications from Beijing that it will suspend imports of Japanese seafood.
The move follows remarks this month by Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.
Lai wrote that the meal “fully shows the firm friendship between Taiwan and Japan” and suggested that “now is perhaps a good time to eat Japanese food.”
The sushi also included Taiwanese cuttlefish, blending ingredients from both sides.
Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung urged citizens to travel to Japan and purchase Japanese goods in “halting the Chinese communists' bullying behaviour.”
He described Beijing’s repeated use of economic coercion and military intimidation as “already too numerous to mention individually.”
China’s foreign ministry dismissed Lai’s posts as a “stunt” and reiterated that Taiwan is an inseparable part of its territory.
Beijing has summoned Japan’s ambassador, advised citizens against travel to Japan, postponed the release of Japanese films, and is reportedly preparing the seafood import suspension.
The U.S. ambassador to Japan, George Glass, stated that Washington will again stand by Tokyo against what he called Beijing’s “coercion.”
Japan maintains its long-standing position on Taiwan is unchanged despite Takaichi’s comments.