Chinese political advisor meets Japan opposition delegation

BEIJING, June 24 -- China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Tuesday met with the leader of Japan's Social Democratic Party Tadatomo Yoshida and called on Japan to show its sincerity in improving bilateral relations.

"The improvement of China-Japan relations depends on the proper settlement of prominent issues like history and the Diaoyu Islands. The key is that Japan works together with China, shows sincerity and takes action," said Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

At the start of the meeting, Yu welcomed the visit by a delegation from the Social Democratic Party, an opposition party of Japan, at a time when bilateral relations stay "at a very difficult time."

"The visit reflects your determination to develop bilateral friendship," Yu said.

This is the second Japanese delegation Yu has met recently. He met with a group of Japanese ruling party lawmakers in May.

China and Japan have seen few high-level political contacts since the Japanese government's "purchase" of the Diaoyu Islands in September 2012, a move that contributed to the disintegration of bilateral relations.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit last year to the Yasukuni shrine, which honors WWII war criminals, erected another political obstacle to the strained relations. The visit is the first by a serving Japanese prime minister since 2006.

Yu said China would like to develop ties with Japan on the basis of the four political documents signed by the two countries.

He hailed the Social Democratic Party's attitude and political courage, pledging China's commitment to stepping up party-to-party ties and safeguard east Asia peace and stability.

Yoshida said his party places great importance on developing ties with the Communist Party of China and would like to keep history in mind, observe the four political documents between the two countries and work for bilateral friendship and northeast Asia peace and development.