Trump warns Japan not to escalate tensions over China

US President Donald Trump has intervened directly to ease the growing tension between Japan and China over the Taiwan issue. In a recent phone call, he urged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not to escalate tensions with China. This information was brought to light by Reuters, citing two Japanese government sources familiar with the matter.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Takaichi said in a speech to the Japanese parliament that Japan could engage militarily in the event of a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan. His comments sparked Japan's biggest diplomatic row with China in years. Beijing reacted angrily and demanded that the Japanese prime minister retract his statement. However, Takaichi did not do so.

According to the sources, Prime Minister Takaichi participated in a phone call with Trump on Tuesday in this situation. During this time, the US president urged Takaichi not to provoke China further. The two Japanese sources requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

However, one of the sources said that Trump did not make any specific demands. He does not want to further escalate tensions while temporarily suspending the trade war with China. The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump's request.

The call came just before the phone call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In the conversation, Jinping said that Taiwan's "return to China" was an important part of Beijing's global vision, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.

The mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party on Thursday urged the United States to stop Japan from "attempting to revive militarism." It said that Japan was a "common enemy" of both countries during World War II and that China and the United States have a shared responsibility to maintain the post-war international order.

Meanwhile, the White House quoted President Trump as saying, “The United States has a very good relationship with China, and that is also good for our close ally Japan.”

When asked for comment, the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office did not make any new comments, citing a previous official statement. That statement said that Takaichi and Trump discussed US-China relations. However, it did not specify what exactly was discussed.