BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhuanet) -- China urged Japan to win political trust and popular support from its neighboring countrieson its bid for a permanent seat of the United Nations Security Council.

    "Japan's bid UN Security Council permanent membership is not merely a question of voting, but a question of political trust and popular support," said Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan during his meeting with Toyohiko Yamanouchi, president of Japan's Kyodo News Agency on Tuesday.

    China understands Japan's aspiration to play a bigger role in the international community, but if Japan wants to become a member of the UN Security Council, it should first of all do more to win the political trust and recognition from people of its neighboring countries, Tang acknowledged.

    On enlargement of the UN Security Council, China perseveres in its position that consensus should be reached through consultations, said Tang, reminding if disputes and even splits incurred thereafter in the world body, the image of the UN will be impaired and the role of the UN affected.

    Acknowledging that the UN reform should be multi-dimensional asthe world today is faced with various kinds of threats and challenges, Tang said, and the reform should not be confined to issues of interest only to a few nations and, in implementing the millennium development goals, ample attention should be given to the reasonable concern of the developing countries and therefore this should be focus of the reform.    Enditem