China Prez Hu highlights hopes for Japan ties

Beijing, June 20: Chinese President Hu Jintao held out hopesfor closer ties with Japan, state media reported today, notablyunderplaying tensions over history and territorial claims.

Long-standing strains between Tokyo and Beijing have eased sinceShinzo Abe became Japan's prime minister last year and visited Chinaless than two weeks after taking office. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaovisited Japan in April, continuing what he called an ''ice-thawing''improvement.

Disputes over economic zone boundaries in the East China Sea andJapan's handling of historical accounts of its invasion during the1930s and '40s have continued to shadow relations.

But meeting with a 220-member Japanese delegation yesterday, Hu stressed hopes for further rapprochement.

''Developing long-term and stable neighbourly friendship andcooperation between China and Japan is the shared popular will,'' hesaid, according to the People's Daily.

''China-Japan relations face an important opportunity to developand we must firmly grasp this opportunity.'' Hu urged ''using historyas a mirror'', a stock phrase summarising Beijing's demand that Japanshow public contrition for invading much of China and the rest of Asiabefore and during World War Two.

But the focus of his remarks was prospects for improved ties.

''Stick to appropriately settling disputes and conflicts through dialogue and consultation on an equal basis,'' he said.

Sino-Japanese relations had been icy for much of the pasthalf-decade, largely because of former Prime Minister JunichiroKoizumi's annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine for war dead. Beijingsees the shrine as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as someconvicted war criminals are honoured there.

Abe has not visited the shrine as prime minister. But anundercurrent of tension has continued, with Abe sending a floraloffering to Yasukuni and moving to revise his country's pacifistconstitution so its defence forces can play a more active role.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who led the delegation that Hu greeted, was upbeat.

''Now relations between the two countries are advancing from a springtime to a summertime,'' Nakasone said.

Chinese Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan is likely to visit Japan later this year, and Hu may make a state visit there next year.

Reuters>