BEIJING -- China and Japan should restore bilateral ties to normality as early as possible so as to create a favorable ambience for high-level exchanges, said a spokesman for the annual session of China's top political advisory body Friday.

"We have noted that lately the Japanese side released some positive signals on its ties with China and bilateral relations showed some signs of improvement," said Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). "We do hope the two sides could value and seize this opportunity."

The two countries should accumulate positive factors and restore ties based on four important political documents and a four-point principled agreement reached between them, he said.