BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Monday criticized Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine and confirmed that they will work together on history issues, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

Referring to Abe's paying homage to the shrine honoring the war dead along with war criminals, Wang told Lavrov over the phone, "Abe's move must prompt high alert among all peace-loving nations in the world," according to the ministry.

China and Russia "as victorious countries of the world war against fascism should jointly maintain international justice and postwar order," Wang reportedly told Lavrov.

Lavrov told Wang, "Russia holds a completely identical stance with China on the Yasukuni Shrine issue" and urged Japan to correct its "erroneous historical view," according to the ministry.

Wang also held talked over the phone Monday with German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Xinhua News Agency said. Wang exchanged views with them on Japan, it said, without further elaborating.

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This news was published on December 31, 2013.

Source: http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131231p2g00m0dm035000c.html