China urges Japan to lift barriers to bilateral ties

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Wednesday urged Japanese authorities to make efforts to remove obstacles impeding the sound development of bilateral relations. Hua made the remarks when asked to comment on recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who criticized China for shutting "all the doors" to dialogue by "setting prerequisites" for it. "It is wrong to shut all the doors just because a problem occurred. It is wrong to reject summit talks because the other party gets on a nerve, or doesn't accept a demand," Abe said. Hua said China is committed to resolving problems through dialogue and the door for dialogue has always been open. The sticking point of current contentions is that the Japanese side has refused to face serious issues against bilateral relations and dodged serious negotiations and consultation with China, she said. The Japanese side should take an appropriate attitude and face up to the problems, she said, urging Japan not to gloss over differences between the two sides by using empty slogans about a so-called "dialogue." China and Japan have been at odds over the territorial sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea and other historical issues, including those regarding the Second World War.