China Hopes Premier's Japan Visit Successful

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed it's hope that Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Japan in April will be a successful one. Liu Jianchao is teh foreign ministry spokesperson...

　　"Both sides should continue to advance Sino-Japanese ties in the fields of politics, economy and culture to create favorable conditions for Premier Wen's April visit."

　　Liu Jianchao said the visit could be seen as an "ice-melting trip", following an October 2006 visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China, which was widely described as an "ice-breaking journey."

　　That visit broke a deadlock in Sino-Japanese relations over visits by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the controversial Yaskuni Shrienand other contentious issues.