China has expressed appreciation for the achievements of Japanese Emperor Akihito, who declared his abdication on Tuesday, saying he has contributed to improving ties between the two nations.

"Emperor Akihito visited China in 1992 and met with Chinese party and state leaders on many occasions. He has made positive contributions to China-Japan relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters Monday, according to the ministry's website.

"The China-Japan relations have come back to the right track and taken on the positive momentum of development," Geng said, while calling on Tokyo to make efforts to "properly handle sensitive issues."