The specter of a military confrontation between the world's two leading powers loomed over the Munich Security Conference. On Saturday, February 14, 2026, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued an unequivocal warning to the United States and Japan regarding the contentious issue of Taiwan.

The solemn warning in Washington

For Beijing, the Taiwan question is non-negotiable. Wang Yi has been very clear: any American strategy aimed at promoting the island's independence or "plotting" to separate it from the mainland would cross an absolute red line .

1. The risk: A direct confrontation between China and the United States.
2. The proposed alternative: Wang Yi calls on Washington to prioritize "pragmatic cooperation" rather than the policy of "decoupling" and the formation of anti-China coalitions.

Historical reminder: China has considered Taiwan a renegade province since 1949. While the United States officially recognizes Beijing, it remains Taipei's main military supporter, a situation that fuels constant irritation on the Chinese side.

Japan in the crosshairs: "The ghosts of militarism"

Tensions escalated further when the Chinese minister mentioned Japan. Beijing has still not forgotten the statements made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi , suggesting a possible Japanese military intervention in the event of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

Wang Yi used scathing historical rhetoric to criticize Tokyo:

1. The contrast with Germany: He praised Berlin for breaking with its Nazi past, while accusing Japan of continuing to honor certain war criminals.
2. The threat of defeat: He warned that if Japan persisted in this belligerent path, it would expose itself to a defeat "even faster and more crushing" than in 1945.

Why is Taiwan a powder keg?

Chinese resentment towards Japan is deeply rooted in history, with the archipelago having colonized Taiwan from 1895 to 1945. Today, as alliances strengthen between Washington, Tokyo and Taipei, Beijing perceives every move as a direct attack on its territorial integrity .

Wang Yi's intervention underlines a brutal reality: in this region of the world, diplomatic dialogue seems increasingly to be giving way to a logic of power dynamics.