Beijing - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will hold talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing next week, China said Friday, despite a spat over Aso's recent offering to a controversial war shrine.

Aso will visit Beijing from Wednesday to Thursday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Premier Wen Jiabao, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a brief statement.

His talks are expected to focus on bilateral economic and political issues, and efforts to persuade North Korea to resume negotiations on ending its nuclear weapons programme.

Japanese media reported earlier this week that Aso sent a traditional decorative display to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo for its spring festival.

The offering drew a strong rebuke from China on Thursday, when foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said her government had "expressed its grave concern and dissatisfaction" via diplomatic channels.

Former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, who left office in 2006, caused outrage in China and South Korea by making annual visits to Yasukuni, where Japan's war dead are remembered, including several war criminals convicted of atrocities in China.

"A correct view and proper handling of historical issues by the Japanese government constitutes the political foundation for China-Japan relations," Jiang said on Thursday when asked about Aso's offering.

"Japan should honour its commitments, match its deeds with words and safeguard the overall interest of China-Japan ties in a responsible manner," she said.

Aso's trip was preceded in February with a visit to Beijing by Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone.

Before Nakasone's visit, he and Aso sparked anger from China after they claimed that the US-Japanese Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security applied to the disputed Senkaku islands, which are known as the Diaoyu in China. (dpa)