Top diplomat scheduled for Japan visit starting Friday

China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi will start a two-day visit to Japan on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Thursday.

Yang, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, will hold a new round of China-Japan high-level political dialogue with Shigeru Kitamura, chief of the Japanese National Security Council.

Yang's visit shows China highly values its relations with Japan, Zhao said at a regular press conference in Beijing.

According to the spokesman, the two sides will exchange in-depth views on bilateral relations, the novel coronavirus epidemic and other issues of common concern during Yang's visit.

The Chinese side hopes the visit will help implement consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen high-level strategic communication, strengthen epidemic control cooperation and further push forward the development of bilateral ties, Zhao said.