The Taiwan authorities are making use of Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's death to engage in political manipulation which will never succeed, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson from the ministry, made the remarks at a regular news briefing in Beijing after Taiwan's Lai Ching-te went to Japan to attend Abe's funeral.

Taiwan is part of China, Wang stressed, adding that there is no so-called vice president in the region.

China has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side over the visit, said Wang.

The funeral was held in Tokyo on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in attendance.

Abe, 67, died after being shot Friday by a gunman during a speech in Nara when campaigning for Sunday's upper house election.

He was Japan's longest-serving prime minister, holding the position from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020. He stepped down in September 2020 due to a relapse of ulcerative colitis, an intestinal disease.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday expressed condolences to Abe's family over the former prime minister's death and underscored Abe's contributions to the improvement and development of bilateral relations.