China calls on Japan to meet 'halfway' to fix ties
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This file aerial shot taken on Sept 15, 2010, shows the disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea. China called on new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday to meet Beijing "halfway" to try and improve relations that have been hurt by a debilitating territorial dispute. -- PHOTO: AFP
BEIJING (AFP) - China called on new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday to meet Beijing "halfway" to try and improve relations that have been hurt by a debilitating territorial dispute.
"We hope the new Japanese administration will meet the Chinese side halfway and make concrete efforts to overcome difficulties in bilateral relations," foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying told reporters.
She added such efforts were needed "so as to push bilateral relations back on to the normal track of development".
Ms Hua was speaking after Mr Abe was selected on Wednesday as Japan's prime minister by the lower house of parliament following victory by his Liberal Democratic Party in elections earlier this month.
