China Sanctions Japanese Lawmaker Hei Seki Over Taiwan Independence Remarks

• China sanctioned Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki for publicly stating "Taiwan is an independent country" during his visit to the island.
• Seki, previously sanctioned in September, faces asset freezes and entry bans to China for "spreading fallacies" on Taiwan, Hong Kong, and disputed islands.
• Seki asserted his visit proves the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China are "completely two different countries."
• China's foreign ministry dismissed Seki's comments, reiterating its claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.
• Japan protested the sanctions, noting Seki is the first Japanese lawmaker to be penalized by Beijing, despite frequent visits by Japanese officials to Taiwan.

Why It Matters: China's sanctioning of Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki escalates tensions over Taiwan's status.