China criticises Japan shrine visit

China has strongly condemned the visits of Japanese cabinet members, lawmakers and other politicians to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors 14 Class-A war criminals in the World War II. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin summoned Japanese ambassador to China Masato Kitera and lodged solemn representations over the issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.  Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that it is an open challenge to historical justice and human conscience that Japanese cabinet members visited the shrine which honors Class-A war criminals on the 68th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, Hong said. And it severely hurts the feelings of people in victim countries in Asia, including China, he said. "The attitudes of those in power in Japan toward historical issues, including those concerning the shrine, concern the political foundation of China-Japan relations," Hong said. In whatever forms and names the Japanese leaders visit the shrine, the nature is that they attempt to deny and glorify the militarism and history of aggression and challenge the results of World War II and the post-war international order. This will draw firm opposition and unanimous condemnation from China and other Asian countries, China Central TV quoted his as saying.