Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday became the country¡¯s highest-ranking official to publicly weigh in on its row with Tokyo over Taiwan, criticizing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s ¡°shocking¡± remarks that Japan could intervene militarily in a crisis over the democratically ruled island.

¡°It is shocking for a sitting Japanese leader to openly send a wrong signal of attempting to intervene militarily in the Taiwan question,¡± Wang said, calling the issue ¡°a red line that should not have been touched,¡± according to a statement posted to his ministry¡¯s website.

¡°China must resolutely hit back ¡ª not only to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to defend the hard-won postwar achievements secured with blood and sacrifice,¡± he added.