BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Saturday urged China and Japan to "stabilize and improve" ties on the sidelines of the Party's ongoing 19th National Congress.

"Sino-Japanese ties face new opportunities at the moment but challenges remain," Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, told a press conference.

Asked to comment on whether Chinese and Japanese leaders are scheduling visits to each other's countries next year, he said mutual visits are very important to bilateral ties.

"But we also know that high-level mutual visits need support and understanding of the public," Guo said, urging both sides to "create better conditions and cultivate a better environment for the development of bilateral relations."