"China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian condemned the remarks of a senior official in the Japanese Cabinet, who suggested that Tokyo should possess nuclear weapons. "Such remarks constitute a blatant provocation against the post-war international order and the nuclear non-proliferation regime [...] and completely contradict Japan's professed commitment to 'pursuing a path of peaceful development,'" he said during a presser in Beijing on Monday. "They cannot be dismissed as mere 'personal opinions' [...] If Japan dares to defy international justice and test the limits of the international community, we will not tolerate it," he warned, demanding that Tokyo 'stop charging down the wrong path'. The comments came as a Japanese government official reportedly said Thursday that Tokyo 'should also possess nuclear weapons' as a deterrence. On Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara reaffirmed Japan's commitment to its three non-nuclear principles, as other Cabinet members criticised the remark and called for the politician's dismissal. Lin also denounced visits to Taiwan by lawmakers of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, saying such actions 'betray' the political commitment between the two nations. The party's deputy secretary-general, Koichi Hagiuda, is reportedly touring the island through Tuesday. Diplomatic tensions between China and Japan continue to escalate following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion in November that Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan. The spokesperson further criticised the US for its second seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, condemning Washington's 'unilateral bullying practices'. The US Coast Guard apprehended the Panama-flagged tanker Centuries in international waters on Saturday - the second such incident this month after the December 10 seizure of the Skipper. Venezuela denounced the operation as 'international piracy' and 'blatant theft'. The move follows President Donald Trump's order for a 'complete naval blockade' on sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela, prompting the Venezuelan navy to begin escorting vessels in response."