China said on Tuesday it had issued a "strong protest" in talks with Japanese representatives in Beijing.

The talks were held to dampen a diplomatic dispute triggered by comments made by the new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over Taiwan.

The fallout has seen China urge its citizens not to travel to Japan, with Tokyo responding by warning its own citizens in China to step up precautions.

What did China say in its protest to Japan?

Japan's Foreign Ministry official for Asia-Pacific affairs Masaaki Kanai traveled to China to meet with his Chinese counterpart Liu Jinsong in an attempt to resolve the biggest dispute between Asia's two largest economies in years.

"During the consultations, China once again lodged a strong protest with Japan regarding Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

The Japanese prime minister told lawmakers this month that Japan could intervene in the case of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

"Takaichi's fallacies seriously violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations," Mao said, adding her comments "fundamentally damage the political foundation of China-Japan relations."

China claims democratically run Taiwan and has not ruled out military operations to take control of it.

How did China respond to Japan's warning to visitors?

China's warning against travel to Japan could take a hit on the Japanese tourism sector, with Chinese tourists making up almost a quarter of the total. Japanese movie premieres were also reportedly being delayed by the China Film Administration, reducing potential revenue in a key market.

Japan then issued its own warning to citizens in China, pointing to the media coverage of the dispute there.

It urged people not to travel alone, to be aware of their surroundings when outside and to practice extreme caution when travelling with children.

"If you see a person or group that looks even slightly suspicious, do not approach them and leave the area immediately," the embassy notice said.

Asked about the warning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning insisted that China was safe for foreigners.

The "Chinese government has always and will continue to protect the safety of foreign citizens in China in accordance with the law," she said.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher