China expects Abe government to restore normal bilateral relations: FM spokeswo

Hua Chunying, the Foriegn Ministry spokeswoman. (filephoto)

China hopes Japan's new government will work with China to overcome difficulties in bilateral relations, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

At a daily press briefing, Hua Chunying also said that China hopes Japan will make concrete efforts to bring relations back on track of normal development.

She made the comments after being asked what China expects from Japan's new government and its new prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Hua said China believes that sound and stable development of China-Japan relations is in the interests of both countries and would benefit peaceful development of Asia.

"China is willing to work with Japan for a healthy and stable development of bilateral relations and will pay close attention to the direction of Japan's development," Hua said.

She added, "China hopes Japan takes a peaceful development path and plays a constructive role in regional peace."

Shinzo Abe, the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected Japan's new prime minister on Wednesday. Announced his new cabinet, Abe pledged efforts to reconstruct the quake-hit areas and recover of the country's economy. (Edited by Qian Xiaole)