State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan urged Japan Tuesday to settle its outstanding issues with China and "make efforts to promote friendly ties."

Tang made the remark at a meeting with a delegation of representatives from the Japanese economic community.

"The Chinese government attaches importance to good-neighborly, friendly relations with Japan," Tang said. "They serve the fundamental interests of both peoples."

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Tang said. He expressed his hope that the two countries could, in a spirit of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward to the future," strengthen relations "in a stable and healthy way."

Tang briefed Tsujii Takashi, president of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association and head of the delegation, about the ongoing annual sessions of the 10th National People's Congress and the National Committee of the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2005)