Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China is being applauded by many Chinese netizens, who are hoping such a visit, the first of its kind in five years, will help thaw chilled ties between the two Asian giants.

Netizens left numerous messages on China's major news websites, including Sina.com and Xinhuanet. com, which themselves led with feature articles on Abe's meetings with Chinese leaders.

"This was a good start. I hope relations between China and Japan will be upgraded to a new level," wrote an anonymous netizen on Sina.com.

"The long-time friendship between China and Japan are the common aspiration and expectation of the two peoples," another netizen said.

A netizen named Ben Ben left a message on Xinhuanet.com, saying that Abe's visit brings a delightful change (to bilateral relations) and he or she hopes there will be less trouble between the two countries.

"Their hands were held together. This is encouraging. Cooperation brings benefits," another netizen named Shui Zhong Jiao Yue said on Xinhuanet, referring to a picture in which Chinese President Hu shook hands with Abe.

Many netizens focused on Abe's remarks regarding recent history between the two countries.

On Sunday, Abe told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that Japan had caused severe damage and pain to the peoples of Asian countries during World War II. He said he had deep remorse on that history and such an attitude will not change in the future.

Abe's words were quoted by netizens many times on the on-line discussion forums. "What Prime Minister Abe said is good. I hope China-Japan ties will be back on track and move to smooth development," said another writer on Xinhuanet.

Many writers also sounded a note of caution.

"What really counts is his actions. Let's listen to his words and observe his actions," an anonymous person said on Sina. com.

"We'll see whether he will be true to his word," another netizen said.

"I hope shrine visits will not happen again during Abe's term in office," a netizen named Huang Qi Ling said on net.

The relations between China and Japan turned cold when former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi persisted in visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Japanese class-A war criminals from World War II are honored among the country's war dead.

Abe, who took office on September 26, is the first Japanese postwar prime minister to choose China as the destination of his first official overseas trip. Abe arrived in Beijing Sunday and left on Monday.