China hopes Japan will show remorse for its wartime aggression through its actions instead of just verbally, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan in Beijing on Friday.
Kong made the remark when asked to comment on Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's renewed expression of remorse for Japanese aggression and his antiwar pledge.
On Thursday, Koizumi made a speech at the annual government-sponsored ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the end of World War II, expressing deep remorse and sincere condolences to wartime victims.
Koizumi said Japan caused great damage and pain to people in many countries, especially Asian nations, stressing Japan had renounced war and would work towards creating peace around the world.
Kong said China noted Koizumi's expression of remorse, and hoped Japan would show remorse through its actions, draw lessons from its history and continue to keep to the path of peaceful development.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2002)
