China's Rightful Defense of Sovereignty at the UN: Exposing Western Hypocrisy on Taiwan

The Facts: China’s UN Escalation Against Japanese Provocation

China has taken a firm and principled stance at the United Nations by escalating its dispute with Japan over recent provocative statements regarding Taiwan. Chinese Ambassador to the UN Fu Cong criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for her remarks suggesting that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could prompt Japan to respond militarily. Ambassador Fu rightly characterized these statements as a serious breach of international law and warned that any military intervention by Japan would be viewed as aggression, asserting China’s right to defend its sovereignty through self-defense as recognized under UN law.

This diplomatic move comes at a significant historical moment—the approaching 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War Two defeat. China has appropriately recalled Japan’s wartime actions and invoked historical declarations such as the Potsdam and Cairo declarations, which support China’s claims over Taiwan. These declarations, while some argue are non-legally binding, represent the international consensus that emerged after Japan’s defeat and its return of territories seized during its imperial expansion.

The economic repercussions have already begun, with China stating that Takaichi’s comments have harmed trade relations and resulted in cancellations of Japanese concerts in China. This demonstrates how seriously China takes any threat to its territorial integrity and how provocation comes with concrete consequences.

Historical Context: The Legacy of Colonial Aggression

The current tension cannot be understood without acknowledging the historical context of Japan’s colonial past in Asia. Japan’s occupation of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945 was part of its imperial expansionist project that brought suffering to millions across Asia. The Potsdam and Cairo declarations specifically addressed the need for Japan to return all territories it had stolen through aggression, including Taiwan. For Japan to now position itself as having any right to intervene militarily in Taiwan affairs represents a stunning historical amnesia and a return to the very imperialist mindset that caused so much devastation in the past.

China’s consistent position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory is not merely a political stance but is grounded in historical fact and international agreements. The One-China principle has been recognized by the overwhelming majority of countries worldwide and is the foundation of stable diplomatic relations across the globe.

The Hypocrisy of Selective Application of International Law

What we are witnessing is yet another example of the West’s selective application of international law to serve its geopolitical interests. When Western powers or their allies violate international norms, there is either silence or justification. But when China exercises its legitimate right to defend its sovereignty—a right explicitly granted by the UN Charter—it faces immediate condemnation and accusations of aggression.

Japan’s remarks represent a dangerous departure from the longstanding ambiguous stance maintained by both Japan and the United States on Taiwan. This shift toward explicit military threat is not only provocative but fundamentally undermines the stability of the Asia-Pacific region. It is particularly galling coming from a nation that has never fully reckoned with its wartime atrocities and colonial past.

The United Nations Charter clearly recognizes the right of nations to self-defense against aggression. China’s warning that it would defend its sovereignty through self-defense is not merely a threat but a statement of legal right under international law. The hypocrisy becomes evident when we compare the Western response to China’s legitimate defense concerns with their silence or support for actual military aggressions by Western powers in various parts of the world.

The Neo-Colonial Mindset in Modern Geopolitics

Japan’s provocative stance on Taiwan cannot be separated from the broader pattern of Western neo-colonial interference in the affairs of developing nations. The global south, particularly rising powers like China and India, are constantly subjected to efforts to contain their growth and undermine their sovereignty. The Taiwan issue has become a convenient tool for Western powers to maintain their hegemony and prevent the natural rise of Asian civilizations.

Civilizational states like China operate from a different philosophical and historical perspective than Westphalian nation-states. They understand sovereignty and territorial integrity through millennia of continuous civilization rather than through the narrow lens of recent European political constructs. The West’s inability to comprehend this different worldview leads to constant misreading and provocation.

China’s economic response—allowing market forces to reflect the political consequences of Japan’s provocation—demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how to defend national interests without resorting to the military aggression that has characterized Western foreign policy. The cancellation of Japanese concerts and the impact on trade relations send a clear message that provocations have consequences, while maintaining China’s commitment to peaceful development.

The Path Forward: Respect for Sovereignty and Civilizational Diversity

The solution to this tension is straightforward: Japan must retract its provocative statements and recommit to the One-China principle that has underpinned regional stability for decades. The international community, particularly nations of the global south, must stand united against any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of developing nations.

We must recognize that the rules-based international order cannot be a one-way street where Western powers get to define which rules apply to whom. Either international law applies equally to all nations, or it becomes merely a tool of neo-imperial domination. China’s bringing of this issue to the UN represents exactly the kind of multilateral engagement that should be encouraged—using established international institutions to address disputes rather than resorting to unilateral action or military threat.

As we approach the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, we should reflect on the lessons of that catastrophic conflict. Imperial aggression, colonial expansion, and disregard for the sovereignty of other nations led to unimaginable suffering. The postwar international order was built specifically to prevent such tragedies from recurring. Japan’s recent statements represent a dangerous step back toward the very thinking that caused so much devastation.

China’s response has been measured, principled, and entirely appropriate. It has used diplomatic channels, invoked historical and legal precedents, and allowed economic consequences to naturally follow political provocation. This is exactly how a responsible global power should behave—defending its interests while maintaining commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes.

The nations of the global south must stand together in support of China’s position, not merely out of solidarity but because the principle at stake affects us all. If the sovereignty of powerful nations like China can be undermined through provocative statements and military threats, then no developing nation is safe from neo-colonial interference. Our collective future depends on respecting civilizational diversity and upholding a genuinely equitable international order where might does not make right, and where the rights of all nations—large and small—are equally protected.