BEIJING (Kyodo) Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Saturday voiced hopes of developing "friendly, neighborly" relations with Tokyo as he outlined the importance of Sino-Japanese ties ahead of a three-day visit to Japan.
"We would like to further develop our friendly, neighborly cooperative ties," Xi told a group of reporters in Beijing. Xi will leave for Japan on Monday on the first leg of a four-nation Asian tour that will also take him to South Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Commenting on Sino-Japanese relations, Xi expressed hopes of developing mutually beneficial strategic ties with Japan, saying ties between the two nations now "maintain a good momentum for development."
Xi did not comment on a planned meeting with Emperor Akihito, but a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official said Saturday that China appreciates the Imperial audience the government has organized.
The scheduled meeting between the Emperor and Xi has raised eyebrows in Japan, with senior Liberal Democratic Party officials criticizing the move as "political manipulation" of the throne.