China's Hu says Japan PM visit a "turning point"

BEIJING, Oct 8 (Reuters) Chinese President Hu Jintao today called the visit of his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, a ''turning point'' in relations that have been chilled by wartime history, territorial and energy disputes.

''Your ongoing visit is serving as a turning point in the China-Japan relations and I hope it will also serve as a new starting point for the improvement and development of bilateral ties,'' China's official Xinhua news agency quoted Hu as telling Abe.

Abe's tenure, which began two weeks ago, is seen as a chance for a fresh start in relations between the two, which soured over the visits of Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, to a controversial war shrine.

Abe arrived today for a two-day visit.

REUTERS PB MIR RN1543