Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi met with a delegation from the Kansai region of Japan Friday in Beijing.

The delegation is headed by Fusae Ota, governor of Osaka-Fu, Keiji Yamada, governor of Kyoto-Fu and Toshizo Ido, governor of Hyogo-Ken.

Wu expressed her appreciation for Kansai's friendly exchanges and cooperation with China. She said China and Japan, as close neighbors, are strongly compatible in economy and enjoy broad fields for cooperation.

"To develop Sino-Japanese long-term stable good-neighborly relations is in the fundemental interests of the people of the two countries", Wu said.

She noted that Japanese leaders' stubborn visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A war criminals, had caused severe difficulties for Sino-Japanese ties.

"Their acts severely hurt the feeling of the Chinese people and undermined the political foundation of Sino-Japanese ties", she said.

Under the current situation, the two countries should cherish the traditional friendship of the people of both countries, enhance exchanges and mutual understanding, and facilitate cooperation.

She expressed the hope that the Kansai region will make full play of its advantages to expand friendly exchanges with China in terms of economy, trade, culture and personnel exchanges, and contribute more to the improvement of bilateral ties.

Source: Xinhua