Tokyo should take tangible action to eliminate "political obstacles" that affect the bilateral relationship, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told China Daily on Monday in a response to Japanese leader's call for a bilateral summit.

China-Japan Relations

The Japanese side has called for meetings with Chinese leaders during the APEC summit in each of the past three years, yet major problems in territorial and historical fields continue to haunt the shaky relationship.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made headlines in a parliamentary session earlier on Monday by suggesting he and President Xi Jinping should meet on the sidelines of the APEC leaders summit in November.

Hong Lei said "the crucial issues that affect the healthy development of China-Japan relationship are clear".

"The Chinese side has for several times stated its positions regarding the contacts between the Chinese and Japanese leaders. The Japanese side should take tangible actions in an effort to eliminate political obstacles that affect bilateral relationship development," the spokesman said.

Abe is playing the media card three months before the annual summit in an attempt to depict Beijing as the villain who says no to dialogue while the ruling Japanese Cabinet has exercised zero self restraint in history revisionist actions, observers warned.