ISHIBA SAYS HE WANTS TO VISIT CHINA, SAYS JAPAN-CHINA RELATIONS 'MUST BE KEPT STABLE'

TOKYO (Kyodo) Dec. 29, 2024 -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday he wants to visit China again, stressing that the bilateral ties "must be kept stable."

Speaking to reporters after visiting a shrine in western Tokyo, Abe said relations with China are "very important" for Japan, and the two countries' leaders "must pile up a certain number of visits to each other's countries to deepen their mutual understanding, rather than just saying that they understand each other."

Abe's comment comes after he held talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during Xi's visit to Japan in November last year.

Abe said China-Japan relations "must be kept stable," adding, "As neighbors, we must build a relationship of trust and explore a win-win strategy no matter what happens." Abe also said it is "natural" for Japan to place importance on its relations with the United States.

Abe's government has been seeking to forge close ties with its counterparts in China, the US and Russia amid the region's shifting power balance.

Abe hinted at the possibility of visiting China again during a news conference in October last year and said he "would like to go there once again" during a visit to Beijing in May.