First Japanese warship since WW2 arrives in China

ZHANJIANG, China (Reuters) - A Japanese warship steamed into a Chinese port on Tuesday, the first such visit since World War Two, in a military exchange aimed at putting relations between the former bitter enemies on a firmer footing.

The dark-grey destroyer Sazanami pulled into Zhanjiang, a tightly guarded Chinese naval port in the southern province of Guangdong, for a five-day call following the docking of a Chinese naval missile destroyer in Japan in November.

Foreign journalists and the general public have been barred access to the Chinese naval installation but the ship was in full view as it approached the port, with its crew lining the deck at attention beneath billowing Japanese and Chinese flags.

Japan invaded and occupied parts of China from 1931 to 1945, and relations are still overshadowed by animosity stemming from Japanese wartime atrocities.

Chinese President Hu Jintao was dogged on a state visit to Japan in May by protests over Beijing's crackdown on riots in Tibet. Japan's offer to transport relief supplies to victims of China's devastating May 12 earthquake on a military flight was abandoned after a flood of Chinese Internet users reacted angrily to the proposal.

Ties have been generally been improving, however, with Hu's visit leading to an agreement over the development of natural gas in disputed waters in the East China Sea. The destroyer is also bringing in quake aid.

NO DISCONTENT

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao denied there was discontent over the visit when asked by a reporter at regular bi-weekly news conference.

"Strengthening our exchanges and cooperation in the field of defense will be supported by the people and I don't think there will be any public anger as you said," he said.