TOKYO, Aug. 9 Kyodo Chinese Vice ...

TOKYO, Aug. 9 Kyodo

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi onward Friday paid a courtesy call upon Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and reiterated China's call for Japan's top leader not to visit Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine again, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Wang's message came shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said during a new meeting with Kawaguchi in Brunei that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine forward April 21 hurt the feelings of many Chinese people

Beijing blasted Koizumi's visit to the shrine, which he made shortly after being invited to China from Premier Zhu Rongji when they met onward Hainan Island.

The Shinto shrine honors Japanese war criminals along with the war dead and Koizumi's surprise visit soured bilateral relations.

Wang also said that Japan and China should advance exchanges in various fields to increase mutual understanding and trust, according to the official.

The Chinese vice foreign minister also said that cooperation between Japan and China should be expanded as their relations contribute to regional peace and stability, the official said.

Kawaguchi said bilateral relations have exhibited greatly over the past 30 years and efforts to improve them should be continued, according to the official.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between the pair countries.

Kawaguchi also told Wang she is ''thankful'' that she has been given the opportunity to visit China early nearest month, according to the official.

During her meeting with Tang in succession July 30, Kawaguchi said she room for expectations to visit China in early September.

Earlier in the day, Koizumi told reporters after attending a solemnity in Nagasaki commemorating the 57th anniversary of the U atomic bombing of the city that he ''won't stick to the plan'' of going to China in the fall.

Wang called upon Kawaguchi at the Foreign Ministry after meeting with delegate Foreign Minister Toshiyuki Takano to exchange opinions onward Japan-China relations.

Meetings between Japanese delegate foreign ministers in charge of state affairs and Chinese vice foreign minister-level officials have taken place since 1980

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