State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on Saturday said China and Japan should make high-level visits a priority.

Tang made the statement in a meeting with a Japanese delegation headed by Kato Koichi, with Yamazaki Taku acting as a consultant. Both are veteran lawmakers of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

China and Japan should step up the pace on the consensus reached during Premier Wen Jiabao's recent visit to Japan, Tang said.

Wen paid a three-day official visit to Japan from April 11 to 13, an "ice-melting" tour in Sino-Japanese relations following the "ice-breaking" trip by his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to China last October.

During his tour, Wen invited Abe to visit China later this year.

"The two countries should focus on developing visits between leaders, safeguarding the political basis of bilateral ties, and stepping up cultural and people exchanges," Tang said.

Tang hailed the contribution made by Koichi and Taku to China-Japan friendship.

Koichi and Taku spoke highly of Premier Wen's visit and said they would make efforts to advance bilateral ties.

The 11-member delegation -- guests of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee-- arrived in Beijing Friday afternoon for a four-day visit.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2007)