Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing has urged leaders and officials not to take part in or encourage anti-Japan protests.
Speaking to a gathering of about 3,500 members of the Communist Party's propaganda department, government officials and military personnel, Li stressed the importance of China's relations with Japan, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Wednesday.
"Do not attend protests that have not been approved. Do not do anything that might upset social stability," Li said, according to a Chinese news bulletin broadcast late Tuesday night.
The propaganda meeting was convened to provide an urgent report on China's relations with Japan. It is extremely rare for China's Politburo to hold such meetings if they concern relations with another country, the newspaper said.
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