'Recently China-Japan ties have reached sound momentum for development, with strategic and mutually beneficial relations continually deepening,' foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told journalists.

'Prime Minister Fukuda has made great contributions to this and we think highly of him.'

Since taking office last September, Mr Fukuda, a self-proclaimed dove on Asian foreign policy, has worked to improve ties with China, attending a series of summit meetings with Chinese leaders this year.

But, facing dwindling approval ratings, Mr Fukuda suddenly quit on Monday. His Liberal Democratic Party is set to meet on Sept 22 to choose his successor.

Ms Jiang said China would seek to continue to improve relations with Japan and his successor.

'To maintain long-term, stable and sound bilateral relations serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples and we are willing to work together with Japan towards this goal,' she said.

Relations between the Asian giants have long been overshadowed by Japan's invasion and occupation of parts of China before and during World War II.

China cut high-level contacts with Japan during the 2001-2006 premiership of Junichiro Koizumi due to his visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, which venerates war criminals who invaded China among 2.5 million war dead.

But Mr Fukuda sought to improve ties and succeeded in overseeing a landmark deal to jointly develop gas fields in the East China Sea, partly resolving a longstanding bilateral dispute.

Besides a visit to China in December last year, Mr Fukuda hosted a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Japan in May and then attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics last month. -- AFP

Read also:
New Jap PM in a month