A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that the Yasukuni Shrine issue cannot be bypassed for improving China-Japan ties.

Spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remarks when responding to a question concerning China-Japan foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday in the Qatari capital of Doha on the sidelines of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue conference.

Liu said Li expounded China's position on Japanese leaders' paying homage at the Yasukuni Shrine that honors convicted Japanese war criminals.

Li stressed that Japanese leaders' insistence on paying homage at the shrine constitutes the major obstacle for improving and developing China-Japan ties and also harms political basis for bilateral ties, according to Liu.

Liu said the two foreign ministers also conferred on strengthening strategic dialogue and facilitating trade cooperation and personnel exchanges.

"The two sides have the common wish to clear obstacles for improving and developing China-Japan ties," he added.

Source: Xinhua