Abe's gift to shrine 'strongly opposed'

Beijing voiced its strong opposition on Friday after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the infamous Yasukuni Shrine and a number of Japanese politicians also visited the shrine.

Abe sent a masakaki ceremonial tree to the spring festival of the shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals. About 90 Japanese lawmakers visited the shrine on Friday, and Seiichi Eto, an aide to the prime minister also went, Xinhua reported.

Pointing out that the shrine honors "World War II Class-A war criminals who bore direct responsibility for the war of aggression", Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China has been "consistently and resolutely opposed to such wrong behavior by the senior Japanese politicians".