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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurry in Tokyo and Helen Davidson in Taipei

China and Japan are in a war of words over Taiwan – what happens next?

Sanae Takaich gestures as she speaks
During Sanae Takaichi’s short time as prime minister she has prioritised boosting Japan’s defences to counter an increasingly assertive China. Photograph: Eugene Hoshiko/AP

Tokyo and Beijing are embroiled in a deepening row over Taiwan after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, suggested that her country could potentially become militarily involved in the event of an attempted Chinese invasion of the self-governing island.

Why has Taiwan become a flashpoint between the north-east Asian neighbours and major trading partners, and is there a risk that the war of words could escalate?

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