China is trying to impose economic costs on Japan for wading into the issue of Taiwan. But experts say the escalating dispute could ultimately hurt China too.

China has offered Taiwan a "one country, two systems" model, but this position is not supported by any mainstream political party. The US has not taken a side when it comes to Taiwan's sovereignty but is opposed to any use of force to seize the territory.

Japan's intention to deploy offensive weapons near China's Taiwan region requires high vigilance from the international community, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday.

As China reportedly mulls a ban on Japanese seafood amid a standoff between the Asian neighbors, Taiwan's leader shows support for Tokyo, with his lunch.

HONG KONG -- China will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, according to ABC News partner NHK, escalating a diplomatic dispute triggered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments suggesting Tokyo could take military action if China attacks Taiwan.

TOKYO: "Call me anytime" was the message Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she received from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (Nov 25) in their first phone call since Tokyo's leader sparked a major diplomatic bust-up with China.

China sent a letter to the United Nations vowing resolute self-defense if Japan “dared to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait,” as Beijing tries to rally international support for its position on the spiraling spat.

Takashi Ito, owner of a restaurant in Shanghai, had been looking forward to China's lifting of a ban on imports of Japanese seafood - only to have his hopes dashed this week amid an increasingly heated diplomatic spat between Beijing and Tokyo.