China is to insist on its position and foreign policy to Japan no matter which party or person rules Japan, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing Thursday.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will leave office when his term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party expires next September.

The Chinese government always adheres to developing long-term friendly cooperative relations with Japan based on the principle of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future", Qin told a regular press conference.

It is believed that Junichiro Koizumi repeated pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including a dozen major World War II criminals, is the main reason for the deterioration of China-Japan ties.

"The China-Japan ties, which is of great importance, currently is confronted with difficulties," Qin said, mentioning that it is not China that should shoulder the responsibility for the stalemate.

Qin emphasized that China hopes to enhance friendly communication and cooperation with Japan in such fields as politics, economy, culture and non-governmental sectors.

The China-Japan relationship is cultivated through endless efforts by leaders of both countries and should be cherished, Qin said, adding that double efforts should also be made to cherish the base of bilateral relations to seek for greater achievements in various fields and ensure that bilateral relations be constantly improved and developed.

Source: Xinhua