Hu Jintao spoke highly of the fact that Abe had chosen China for his first official overseas trip. He said it indicated the great importance the new Prime Minister attaches to the improvement of relations between the two neighbors.

"Your visit is the first one by a Japanese Prime Minister in the past five years. This means the relationship between China and Japan has seen a turning point. I wish your visit will become a new starting point in the improvement and development of the relationship between the two countries."

Earlier, Premier Wen Jiabao met Prime Minister Abe for talks. Wen Jiabao said that it was in the fundamental interests of the two peoples to develop a friendly, cooperative relationship between China and Japan.

"We should conform to the overall interests of Sino-Japanese relations, conform to world trends and the needs of the people and further develop friendly and cooperative relations between China and Japan."

Wen Jiabao went on to say that China and Japan had recently reached consensus on overcoming obstacles which had hindered bilateral ties.

Abe said he was optimistic about the future of Sino-Japanese relations and expressed his willingness to enhance the dialogue between the leaders of the two countries.

"We've reached consensus that we should develop both the political and economic relationships at the same time, so as to push forward the Japan-China relationship to a higher level. The two sides will also make efforts to build up a mutual beneficial relation based on common strategic interests, so as to face global issues cooperatively.”

Prime Minister Abe took office September 26th. He is the first postwar Japanese prime minister to make China the destination of his first official overseas trip.

Abe will fly to Seoul early on Monday for talks with President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea.