"China and Japan are close neighbors, and to develop long-term stable good-neighborly cooperation serves the basic interests of the two countries and helps promote peace, stability and development in the region and the whole world," Wu told a delegation of Japan's House of Representatives.

Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Genichiro Sata, chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of Japan's House of Representatives, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 4, 2006. [Xinhua]

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), said the Chinese government has always handled China-Japan ties from a strategic and long-term perspective and is committed to promoting peaceful coexistence, friendship, reciprocal cooperation and common development.

Relations between China and Japan have undergone difficulties due to Japanese leaders' repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 convicted class A WWII war criminals.

The leaders of the two countries halted visits following Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's homage at the war shrine soon after he took office in 2001.

"To correctly view and handle history issues is the important political foundation of China-Japan relations," Wu told the delegation, led by Genichiro Sata, chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration of Japan's House of Representatives.

He emphasized the principle of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future", saying that he hopes the political obstacles in China-Japan ties will be removed so that their relationship will "be back on the track of healthy development."

The Japanese Diet members are in China to have an annual meeting with China's NPC.

Wu said he hopes the parliamentary members of the two countries will make full use of such exchange mechanisms to improve understanding through dialogue in a bid to improve bilateral ties.

Genichiro Sata said to promote Japan-China friendship is a common belief of the parties in the Japanese House of Representatives and it is in the interests of the Japanese people.

He said that Japan's House of Representatives also hopes to work with China's NPC to improve their exchange channels so as to contribute to the development of Japan-China relations.

After the meeting, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan also met with the Japanese delegation.