Lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party voiced opposition Thursday to a Foreign Ministry project to help afforestation in China, saying the project cannot gain the support of the Japanese public.

Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the LDP's General Council, discussed the project in a meeting with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi in Beijing in October, which came amid signs of a thaw in bilateral relations beset by disputes over territory and history.

In a foreign affairs committee meeting Thursday, the lawmakers objected to the ministry's plan to finance the project under the supplementary budget for fiscal 2015, with one of them saying, "There is no need to support China, which promotes anti-Japan propaganda."

Another lawmaker said, "China should go ahead with afforestation on its own."

Some lawmakers expressed support for the project, saying it would promote bilateral exchanges.

The project started in 1999 after then-Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi proposed that a fund of around ¥10 billion be established to support afforestation in China.

As the fund had only about ¥1.5 billion remaining as of June, the Foreign Ministry is seeking to add several billion yen to the fund to finance the afforestation project and a youth exchange program.