MOSCOW -- Taiwan is an integral part of China, and Russia opposes Taiwan's independence in any form, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday.

In an interview with TASS, Lavrov said that Russia's principled position on the Taiwan question is well known and unchanged. "Russia recognizes Taiwan as an integral part of China and stands against the island's independence in any form."

As the top Russian diplomat noted, Russia consistently regards the Taiwan question as an internal affair of China and recognizes China's legitimate basis for safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Lavrov also said in the interview that Japan's course toward militarization could negatively affect stability in the region.

"Recently, the Japanese leadership has been seeking to accelerate the country's militarization. The detrimental influence of such an approach on the regional stability is obvious," he said.