Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

In response to a question about whether China will send a congratulatory message to Sanae Takaichi, who has just taken office as Japan's new prime minister, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that China has made appropriate arrangements in accordance with diplomatic norms, and added that China and Japan are close neighbors, and China's basic position on China-Japan relations has always been consistent and clear. 

The spokesperson also expressed hope that Japan will work with China in the same direction, adhere to the principles set out in the four political documents between the two countries, and honor its political commitments on major issues such as history and Taiwan, so as to safeguard the political foundation of bilateral relations and comprehensively advance the strategic and mutually beneficial relationship between China and Japan.