Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met leaders of Japanese political parties Tuesday in Tokyo to seek a common understanding on key regional and international issues.

Xi said the current China-Japan relations were on a healthy track.

"A main purpose of my visit is to meet Japanese government and political party personnel to further promote understanding and cooperation," he said.

The Chinese government and Chinese leaders attached great significance to China-Japan relations, and China was ready to further improve the strategic mutually beneficial relationship with Japan, Xi said during the meetings.

Xi emphasized that the development of bilateral ties would not only benefit the two countries, but would also help promote peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world.

The vice president also praised the role Japanese political parties had played in boosting China-Japan relations, saying the inter-party communication mechanism should be continued and further promoted.

Sadakazu Tanigaki, president of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said Chinese President Hu Jintao reached important consensus with then Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to develop strategic, mutually beneficial relations during a visit to Japan last year. Although the LDP was no longer in government, it would continue to exert every effort to heighten bilateral ties.

Kazuo Shii, leader of the Japanese Communist Party, said his party would continue to conduct exchanges with the Communist Party of China and keep promoting relations between the two countries.

Xi also met with Shizuka Kamei, leader of the People's New Party, and Natsuo Yamaguchi, president of the New Komeito party.

Xi started his four-nation tour in Tokyo on Monday. He is scheduled to meet Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and visit Fukuoka Prefecture in southern Japan on Wednesday before leaving for South Korea.