Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso arrived in Beijing at noon Wednesday, starting a two-day official visit to China.

Aso will meet with Chinese leaders, exchange views with representatives of youth, business and cultural organizations and visit a Sino-Japanese cooperation project involving a Beijing-based steel maker.

China hoped his visit would help increase mutual trust in politics and expand cooperation, in a bid to promote the healthy and stable growth of bilateral relations, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday when asked to comment on the visit.

She noted China also hoped the two sides would discuss how to cope with the international financial crisis.

During President Hu Jintao's state visit to Japan in May 2008, the two sides issued a statement on comprehensive promotion of strategic and mutually beneficial relations, in which they agreed to build a mechanism for high-level regular leaders' visits.

This is Aso's first official visit to China since he took office in September.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2009)