China dissatisfied with Japan's allowance of separatist meeting

China on Monday expressed "strong dissatisfaction" regarding Japan's decision to allow a Chinese separatist group to hold a meeting in the country.

The so-called World Uygur Congress, which has links with various terrorist organizations, is a thoroughly anti-China separatist organization, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press conference when asked to comment on the group's Monday meeting.

Xinjiang-related issues are considered to be part of China's internal affairs and the country will not accept outside interference, Hong said.

China asks Japan to respect China's requests, take measures to eradicate any negative impact and safeguard the overall state of China-Japan relations, he said.

On Monday, several members of the group visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, where Japanese soldiers, including World War II war criminals, are honored, Hong said.

"Anti-China separatists from the World Uygur Congress have colluded with Japan's right-wing forces and exposed their political determination to separate their homeland and undermine China-Japan relations," Hong said.

Hong described the shrine as a symbol of Japan's invasion history.

"The clumsy activities of those people will be spurned by Chinese people all over the world, including ethnic Uygurs," Hong said.