The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Tokyo

Chinese President Hu Jintao lauded closer cooperation with Japan when he arrived on Tuesday for a state visit intended to nurture trust between the Asian powers despite rifts over energy resources and security.

Hu was greeted in Tokyo by senior Japanese officials and flag-waving, mostly Chinese well-wishers. Downtown, some 7,000 police were deployed ahead of threatened protests by hundreds of right-wing activists who see China as a danger.

But China is promoting itself as a friendly neighbor after years of feuding over Japan's handling of its wartime aggression, and Hu has stressed forward-looking goals for his five days of ceremony, speeches and deals, as well as table tennis and perhaps pandas.

Hu, visiting at a time when the two economies are increasingly intertwined, said stable and friendly ties were in the interests of both countries.

"Relations between the two countries now have new opportunities for further development," he said in a written statement upon arrival in Tokyo. "I hope through this visit to increase mutual trust and strengthen friendship."

China's second ever state visit to Japan comes as it seeks to calm international tensions over Tibetan unrest, which has threatened to mar Beijing's Olympic Games.

More than 1,000 protesters marched peacefully in central Tokyo chanting "Human rights for Tibet," while right-wing activist trucks roamed the city blaring anti-China slogans and Japan's national anthem. There were no reports of scuffles. China replaced the United States as Japan's top trade partner last year, with two-way trade worth $236.6 billion, up 12 percent from 2006.

But while China's fast growth offers opportunities, Beijing's accompanying expansion in diplomatic and military reach has stirred anxieties in Japan-over disputed energy resources.