BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan are in close communication regarding the timing of President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

While China and Japan are making all-out efforts to fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, both sides agreed that it must be ensured President Xi's visit shall come at the most opportune time with the right conditions and atmosphere to achieve a complete success, spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing in response to reports that the visit may not materialize this spring.

"Upon agreement, the two sides will maintain close communication regarding the timing of the visit," Zhao said.