TOKYO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Japan's newly-elected prime minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday that he is willing to make efforts to "further develop" the Sino-Japanese ties.

    At the first press conference he hosted as prime minister, Abe said that China is an important country for Japan, and China's peaceful development will be conducive to Asia.

    Abe said that he would like to make efforts to "further develop" the bilateral ties between Japan and China. He said this at the press conference held in the premier's official residence on Tuesday evening.

    Abe stressed that as an Asian country, Japan knows the importance of building up friendly ties with its Asian neighbors. He also mentioned the importance of candid summit talks with China and South Korea.

    The new prime minister also emphasized his desire to promote the alliance with the United States and lead his country to take a leadership in international affairs.

    Abe sealed a victory in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s presidential election on Sept. 20 and won the confirmative vote in an extra plenary Diet session on Tuesday afternoon, becoming Japan's youngest postwar prime minister and the first premier born after World War II. Enditem