China-Japan ties are faced with new opportunities, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Monday.

"It is in the fundamental interests of China and Japan to build on the forward momentum of improved bilateral ties," Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said in a meeting with visiting former Japanese director-general of Defence Nukaga Fukushiro.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a landmark visit to China in October last year, the first since he took office last September. Abe's visit was widely seen as a "turning point" in relations.

It is important to ensure the healthy and steady development of China-Japan ties and realize peaceful coexistence, lasting friendship, mutual cooperation and common development, Tang said in an hour-long meeting with Nukaga in Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leaders' compound in downtown Beijing.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will pay an official visit to Japan in April.

"The prerequisite of building strategic and mutually beneficial ties is to step up political mutual trust," Tang said.

Nukaga said Japan and China should intensify cooperation on energy, environment and other fields, and properly address relevant issues.

Source: Xinhua