China urged Japan on Wednesday to strengthen dialogue and jointly foster a constructive and stable relationship in the wake of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's reshuffling his Cabinet, which included the appointment of veteran female lawmaker Yoko Kamikawa as the new foreign minister.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said maintaining the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations is "in the common interest of both countries and the region" and stressed the importance of managing conflicts and differences.
Bilateral relations remain strained, with the two Asian neighbors recently engaged in a dispute over Japan's release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex into the sea.
China has also been wary about Japan's support of Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island which the Communist-ruled country views as its own territory and seeks to isolate internationally.
Minoru Kihara, who is tapped as the new defense minister, is a senior member of a bipartisan group aimed at promoting ties with Taiwan.
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