Japanese leaders should stop hurting feelings of wartime victims: Chinese FM

Japanese leaders should stop worshipping war criminals and hurting the feelings of people in China and other nations having suffered from Japanese invasions during the World War II, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday.

Li made the remark at a press conference held on the sideline of the ongoing annual full session of the 10th National People's Congress, the top legislature.

"The crucial problem challenging Sino-Japanese political relations now is that certain Japanese leaders still insist on paying homage to the class-A war criminals who had launched and commanded aggressive wars," Li said in response to the question of a Japanese journalist.

The action can not be accepted by the Chinese people and wartime victims of many other nations, he added.

"This is an issue of very serious nature," Li stressed.

Li reiterated that Chinese people are victims of Japanese invasions during the World War II, urging Japanese leaders to " demonstrate enough sincerity and courage" to correct their " erroneous doings."

He cited an unidentified German diplomat as saying that war initiators should do nothing more to hurt the feelings of offspring of wartime victims again.

The minister reaffirmed China's principle of developing Sino- Japanese relations, vowing to make positive efforts in improving bilateral ties under the guidance of the five-point proposal raised by President Hu Jintao last year in Jakarta.

Li urged the Japanese side to abide by the three political documents and take actual actions to forge a friendly relationship toward the 21st century, and handle historical problems in a serious and sincere manner.

Differences between the two nations need to be resolved through dialogues and peaceful negotiations, while extensive exchanges and cooperation, and friendly non-governmental contacts should be reinforced, the minister said.

Japan should fulfill its commitments concerning the Taiwan issue through concrete actions, Li added.