A Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Beijing Tuesday that China's policy of developing a long-term, stable, and good-neighborly relationship with Japan on the basis of the principles of drawing a lesson from history and facing up to the future has not changed, nor will it in the future. 

However, to improve bilateral ties needs the common efforts from both sides, Qin Gang said at a regular press conference.

The spokesman said the demonstration against Japan in Beijing over the weekend was a "spontaneous" move, because people were dissatisfied with the wrong attitude and practice Japan had taken recently on the issue of its history of aggression.

"The Chinese government has demanded that the demonstrators keep calm and sane and voice their opinions and attitude in a lawful and orderly way. We are not in favor of the few excessive actions during the demonstration," Qin said.

"The police have done a lot to maintain order and to keep the situation from aggravating, in order to ensure the safety of Japanese organizations and citizens in China," he said.

Just a week ago, Japan's Education Ministry approved a revised edition of history textbooks, which are widely criticized for distorting history and whitewashing its colonial rules and wartime atrocities last century.

The controversial history textbooks immediately sparked strong flames of fury from the Chinese from all walks of life, as thousands took to the streets in the capital to voice their anger.

The Chinese people are friendly and willing to carry out friendly cooperation with all countries, Qin said.

"No one wants to take to the streets every day," he added. 

Qin said the upcoming China-US high-level talks will be beneficial to the steady and healthy development of bilateral relations.

The US State Department announced last Friday that the United States and China had agreed to hold regular senior-level talks on a range of political and economic issues.

The talks between the two countries on some important issues of common interests will help increase understanding, enhance mutual trust and expand cooperation, Qin said.  

The agreement on the talks was reached during Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Beijing last month, according to the State Department.

"The heads of state of the two countries reached a consensus on developing constructive cooperation between China and the United States in Chile last year, and agreed to enhance strategic dialogue," said Qin.

He said China attaches importance to its dialogue with the United States and the two countries are holding consultations on some specific issues.

Turning to Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India, Qin described it as "successful and fruitful."

He said China and India should respect and "strictly honor" the line of actual control prior to the final settlement of the border issue.

"One of the most important outcomes of Premier Wen's India visit is that China and India signed an agreement on political guiding principles on solving the border issue," he said.

Qin said both sides agreed to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the border issue through equal and friendly consultations, according to the principles. They also agreed the final settlement of the border issue will greatly improve bilateral good-neighborly friendly cooperative ties.

He said China will continue to carry forward the spirit of Bandung Conference together with various countries in the world, developing countries in particular.

The Bandung Conference, also known as the Asian-African Conference, was held in Bandung, Indonesia from April 18 to 24, 1955. Delegations from 29 countries participated in the conference to discuss major, important international issues.

"The Bandung Conference put forward 10 principles of peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation among nations. In sum, it promoted unity, equality and cooperation," Qin said.

He said Asia and Africa account for 70 percent of the world's population and their area is half the world's total. Half of the UN member countries come from the two continents.

"Under new circumstances, the Asian-African countries should further strengthen cooperation to work together for a peaceful and stable world," he said.

As a developing country with the largest population in the world and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will continue to make unremitting efforts with all countries, especially the developing countries, to maintain world peace and promote common development, he said.

Qin announced that President Hu Jintao will pay state visits to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and the Philippines from April 20 to 28.

Hu was invited by Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Qin said.  

During the visit, Hu will also attend the 2005 Asia-Africa Summit and activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference at the invitation of Susilo and South African President Thabo Mbeki, Qin said. 

He also announced that at the invitation of Premier Wen, Australian Prime Minister John Winston Howard will pay a working visit to China from April 18 to 19.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2005)