<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences today over the sudden and unfortunate death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a day after China gave mixed reactions from different quarters with Chinese netizens rejoicing and spreading anti-Abe sentiments.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Chinese state media reported that in his message of condolence to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President Xi said that Abe made positive efforts to improve China-Japan relations.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Abe, Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister was shot down from behind yesterday in the Japanese city of Nara while making a campaign speech for a Parliamentary Election.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian condoled the demise of the former Japanese Prime Minister Abe saying that China is shocked by Abe's sudden death while Chinese social media response was sprinkled with glee.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ties between Japan and China have been plagued for years by a territorial dispute over a group of tiny East China Sea islands as well as the legacy of Japan's past military aggression which has poisoned public attitudes toward Japan and stoked Chinese nationalism.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This was visible in Chinese social media reactions on Friday when the news of Abe's unfortunate death broke out.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Mr Xi today said, he had reached important consensus with Abe on building a China-Japan relationship that meets the needs of the new era, adding that he deeply regrets the sudden passing of Abe. He also extended his condolences to Abe's family, state television reported.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">A thaw was visible in the China-Japan relations when Abe was Prime Minister, particularly during his second term from 2012 to 2020. But, ties have become more complex in recent months, with Kishida's Government calling for increased defence spending and expressing concern over threats faced by self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Kishida also recently participated in NATO Summit which did not go down well with China.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The Chinese President said, he stands ready to work with Prime Minister Kishida to continue developing a good-neighborly friendship and cooperation between China and Japan.</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>