Chinese lawmakers and political advisors on Friday strongly condemned the remarks made by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso who called Taiwan a "country."

The lawmakers and political advisors, who are here for the annual full sessions of the legislature and advisory body, were also angered by Aso's Thursday remarks that Japan should maintain country-to-country relations with Taiwan, saying Aso's act constitutes "rude interference in the internal affairs of China."

The Taiwan issue and historical issue between China and Japan have an important impact on bilateral ties, said Wang Yuesheng, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), the legislature.

Japan has made commitments on the Taiwan issue in the three political documents governing Sino-Japanese relationship, and China hopes Japan will strictly abide by it, he added.

Long Chaoyun, a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top advisory body, said that it is "absolutely dangerous" for Aso to once and again make "a slip of tongue" by calling Taiwan a "country."

The remarks are not favorable to the improvement of Sino- Japanese relations, not favorable to the stability across the Taiwan Straits, and not favorable to stability of the Asia-Pacific Region and the rest of the world, he said.

Aso should be aware that Japan is fully responsible for the current China-Japan relationship which is on the ebb, he added.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, said Li Changchun, a member of the 10th CPPCC National Committee, who represents overseas Chinese.

"There is only one China in the world and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government of the whole of China," Li said.

"This is a common sense. How could the highest-ranking Japanese diplomat be ignorant of this!" Li added.

Chen Yunying, an NPC deputy originally from Taiwan, said that Aso's remarks run counter to the consistent stance of the Japanese government on the Taiwan issue and have impaired the political foundation of China-Japan relations.

On February 4, Aso attributed the currently high educational standards in Taiwan to Japan's colonization during its militarism era and called Taiwan "a country" during a speech in Fukuoka.

International news media said Aso lacked the required basic political qualifications for a foreign minister because he frequently went back on his own words.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2006)