Beijing

China's foreign ministry on Tuesday hit back at Japan's deputy prime minister Taro Aso statement after he reportedly said the country needs to defend Taiwan along with the US if it is attacked.

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China said Aso's remarks "harmed the political foundation of China-Japan relations".

Kyodo news agency quoted Japan's deputy prime minister saying: "If a major problem took place in Taiwan, it would not be too much to say that it could relate to a survival-threatening situation, we need to think hard that Okinawa could be the next."

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Aso said the country was closely monitoring the Taiwan situation as China's foreign ministry in a strongly worded reply said: "No one should underestimate the Chinese people's staunch resolve".

It is not the first time a Japanese leader has referred to Taiwan. Last month Japan's deputy defence minister Yasuhide Nakayama had said that Taiwan should be protected as a "democratic country", as China once again slammed Nakayama's remarks.

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The Japanese minister had said there was a growing threat over Chinese and Russian collaboration while adding that China had "aggressive, aggressive, thought and will".

Nakayama had said he wanted a "stronger" United States while citing military exercises between China and Russia asserting that Japan needed to spend more on its defence.

China considers Japan as a breakaway province which it intends to unite by force if necessary. In the recently concluded centenary celebration of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1, President Xi Jinping called for "complete reunification of the motherland".

President Xi said: "All sons and daughters of China, including compatriots on both sides of the strait, must work together and move forward in solidarity, and resolutely crush any 'Taiwan independence' plots."

(With inputs from Agencies)