BEIJING - The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, on Tuesday voiced strong condemnation of Japan's so-called "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands and some of their affiliated islets.

"We strongly urge the Japanese side to immediately stop all actions that undermine China's territorial sovereignty, and stop playing with fire over the Diaoyu Islands " said the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee in a statement.

It said that Japan should join China, with concrete moves, to maintain the overall situation of China-Japan relations.

Despite strong opposition from China, the Japanese government announced on Monday the "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated Nan Xiaodao and Bei Xiaodao. "This constitutes a gross violation of China's sovereignty over its territory," said the statement, adding CPPCC members have expressed strong indignation at and severe condemnation of the Japanese move.

The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands have been China's sacred territory since ancient times and China is their indisputable owner, "which is supported by sufficient historical facts," according to the statement.

It continued by saying that the Japanese government's so-called "purchase" and "nationalization" of the islands is totally illegal and invalid, which can never alter China's territorial sovereignty over these islands.

Reviewing the history of Japan's illegal encroaching on the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islands, the statement said today's China is no longer the poor and weak old China.

"We will never allow any country to infringe upon China's sacred territory," it said, stressing that the political advisory body resolutely supports any necessary measures taken by the Chinese government to safeguard the nation's territorial sovereignty.

The recent tensions between China and Japan were triggered by Japan's right-wing forces, who deliberately aroused disagreement between the people of the two countries and damaged bilateral ties, in the view of the CPPCC Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Japanese government, which connives instead of restricting the right-wing forces, is unquestionably responsible for the current situation, according to the body's statement.