Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said he regards a rising China not as a threat but an opportunity, the Asahi Shimbun daily reported Wednesday.

"China's development is an opportunity. As for China's growing military capability, I've never said it is a threat," the prime minister was quoted as saying at a dinner on Monday at a Tokyo restaurant with ruling bloc heavyweights.

His remarks came few days after Foreign Minister Taro Aso described China as a threat citing its huge population and increasing military spending.

The Chinese government refuted Aso's remarks as "extremely irresponsible," and stressed that China's development has made contributions to the world peace and stability, bringing East Asian countries, including Japan, great development opportunities.

Source: Xinhua