Representative of Chinese govt attends former Japanese PM Abe's funeral in Japan

TOKYO - Wan Gang, representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the appreciation ceremony hosted by the Japanese government and Abe's family in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Wan told the Japanese side that after the passing away of former Prime Minister Abe, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent messages of condolence to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida respectively, and Xi and his wife, Professor Peng Liyuan, sent a message of condolence to Abe's wife Akie Abe.

Wan said Abe made contributions to pushing forward improvement and development of China-Japan ties when serving the Japanese prime minister.

He said that on behalf of the Chinese government, he was in Tokyo to attend the funeral and extend condolences to the Japanese side.

Prime Minister Kishida and Abe's family members talked with Wan, and thanked the Chinese government for sending representatives to attend the funeral.

When meeting with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Wednesday, Wan said that leaders of the two countries reached an important consensus last year on building a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

He said the two sides should take the consensus as a guidance, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties as an opportunity to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

Matsuno said Japan attaches great importance to developing ties with China, and is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, thus developing constructive and stable bilateral relations.