The directive marks Beijing’s most substantive retaliation yet to Sanae Takaichi’s remarks. Although the move may be largely symbolic, it suggests that Beijing is willing to use its economic influence to advance geopolitical goals — a well-worn strategy.

Recent “blatantly provocative remarks on Taiwan” have “further damaged the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges creating additional risks to the safety and security of Chinese citizens in Japan,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday in a statement. The ministry and its diplomatic missions “remind Chinese citizens to refrain from visiting Japan for the time being,” it added.

The warning represents Beijing’s latest display of outrage in a roughly week-long dispute following Takaichi’s response to a question in Japan’s parliament, in which she said that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute “a situation threatening Japan’s survival,” and could therefore trigger a military response from Tokyo. Beijing regards the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to take control of the island, by force if necessary. For Beijing, Taiwan’s sovereignty is the most sensitive issue in its international relations — a “red line” not to be crossed.

China’s Ministry of Defense on Friday separately warned that Japan would “suffer a crushing defeat” if it dared to intervene militarily in the Taiwan Strait. Nearly 7.5 million travelers from China visited Japan between January and September this year — by far the highest number from any country or region — according to official data cited by Japanese public broadcaster NHK. (CNN)