The anti-Japanese protesting march in Shanghai Saturday was a result of Japan's wrong attitudes and actions on a series of issues concerning China, said Shanghai Municipal Government Spokeswoman Jiao Yang Saturday.

Jiao made the speech at Saturday night's press conference, at which she confirmed around 20,000 students and citizens went to the streets and joined the anti-Japanese protesting march.

Jiao said that dissatisfied with Japan's wrong attitudes and actions on a series of issues such as its history of aggression, the students and citizens spontaneously took to the street to demonstrate and protest, expressing their discontentment with the right-wing forces in Japan on violating the Sino-Japanese relations.

The official said she hoped the Japanese side can seriously consider the Chinese people's concerns and properly handle the history of Japanese aggression against China and other sensitive issues relating to the feelings of the Chinese people.

The relevant Shanghai departments, including the police , have made great efforts to ensure the safety of Japanese organizations and citizens in Shanghai.

She said timely measures were taken to alleviate the situation and the normal social order was largely maintained.

The municipal government has again reminded local citizens that according to China's Law on Assemblies, Processions and Demonstrations, anyone who wants to organize any assemblies, processions or demonstrations must apply to and gain approval from the relevant public security authorities.

The spokeswoman said the government has been requiring local citizens to remain calm and rational, express their aspirations in a lawful and orderly manner, and turn their patriotism into an impetus in their work and study but not to join any unapproved activities.

Jiao reiterated that Shanghai has a stable and harmonious society. The Shanghai Municipal Government will continue to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the foreign enterprises, organizations and individuals in the city according to law. Shanghai is also fully capable of protecting the safety of foreigners in the city.

Also on Saturday, thousands of students and other residents in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, gathered for a rally protesting Japan's glossing of its wartime past.

Some protesters carried a cartoon criticizing Japanese leaders' visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese Class-A World War II criminals are honored.

The protesters marched in orderly files in downtown streets, singing the national anthem of China and chanted slogans. They were joined by several other groups. It was estimated that the march attracted some 10,000 people.

The protesters were believed to gather answering to calls on Internet bulletin boards. Some of the posts called for participants to keep good order during the rally.

In another development, in Tianjin, a port city in northern China, more than 2,000 people gathered to protest Japan's latest moves that affect China-Japan relations.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2005)