Chairman of the China-Japan Friendship Association Song Jian Monday called for Japan to "properly settle history issues" and "create favorable condition" for the improvement and advancement of Sino-Japanese relations.

Song urged Japan to do more to help increase understanding and trust between the two peoples, instead of continuing "to hurt Chinese people's feelings."

Song said Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi spoke about Sino-Japanese relations on the sideline of the Asian-African summit in Jakarta Saturday. Hu also made five-point proposals for the improvement of the two countries' bilateral ties.

"We hope Japan can take this opportunity to realize its promise into action, and take efficient measures to promote the resumption and development of Sino-Japanese political relations," Song said.

He said that as close neighbors, China and Japan enjoy profound traditional friendship and interrelated interests. Since the normalization of bilateral ties in 1972, the two countries made remarkable progress in their exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

Last year, the two countries' trade volume reached almost 170 billion US dollars, while the personnel exchanges amounted to 4 million. Currently, 227 sister cities have been established.

"Sino-Japanese friendly cooperative ties has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples. To maintain the two countries' long-term friendly cooperative relations meets the fundamental interests of the two peoples and their offspring." Song said.

The present cold political relationship between the two sides do not follow the development of friendly cooperative ties, he added.

As to the recent spontaneous demonstrations against Japan in Beijing and other cities, Song said the Chinese government has demanded that the demonstrators keep calm and voice their opinions and attitude in a lawful and orderly way.

"We are not in favor of the few excessive actions during the demonstration," Song said.

Song said the improvement of Sino-Japanese ties needs common efforts from both sides. "We should cherish Sino-Japanese good-neighborly cooperative ties hardly won through the arduous efforts of the two peoples." he said.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. It is also an important year for Sino-Japanese relations.

Song said Japan's militaristic past and aggression has gravely injured the people of China and other Asian countries.

"We hope to properly settle the existing problems between the two countries in the spirit of 'taking history as a mirror and facing up to the future', so as to make 2005 the year of Sino-Japanese peaceful friendly cooperation." Song said.

He said China's civil groups is willing to join hands with Japanese civil groups to conduct various exchanges in politics, economy, technology, culture, press, education and tourism.

Groups are working to create greater understanding and friendship between the two peoples especially the youth.