Taiwan president lunches on sushi in support of Japan over China row

Images of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te holding a plate of sushi were posted on social media on Thursday in a show of support for Tokyo after reports that China will halt Japanese seafood imports.

The row between Japan and China was triggered by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggesting this month that Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan.

China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.

Lai, an outspoken defender of Taiwan's sovereignty and detested by China, has accused Beijing of "severely" affecting regional peace in the escalating spat.

A photo of a smiling Lai holding a plate of sushi was posted on his Facebook page on Thursday.

"Today's lunch is sushi and miso soup," a message posted with the photo said, along with the hashtag #Yellowtail from Kagoshima and scallops from Hokkaido.

Similar photos were posted on Lai's X account, with the message and hashtag written in Japanese.

A video of Lai suggesting to followers that now "might be a good time to eat Japanese cuisine" was also shared on his Instagram page.

"It fully shows the strong friendship between Taiwan and Japan," Lai said as he held the plate of sushi.

China's foreign ministry branded Lai's posts a "stunt".

The posts followed media in Tokyo reporting on Wednesday that China will suspend Japanese seafood imports. Neither government has confirmed the move.

China has already summoned Tokyo's ambassador and advised its citizens against travel to Japan after the clash over Takaichi's comments.

The release of at least two Japanese movies will also be postponed in China, according to state media.

"The CCP has used tactics such as economic coercion and military intimidation to bully other countries," Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Thursday, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.

Lin urged Taiwanese people to travel to Japan and buy Japanese products.

"At this critical moment we must support Japan to be able to stabilise the situation, to stop the CCP's bullying behaviour."

US ambassador to Japan George Glass vowed on Thursday that Washington would stand by Tokyo during the dispute.

"Coercion is a hard habit to break for Beijing," Glass wrote on X.

"But just as the United States stood by Japan during China's last unwarranted ban on Japanese seafood, we will be there for our ally again this time."