Hong Kong should "continue to be free and open", Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe told the Chinese president on Monday, as the city is rocked by months of pro-democracy protests.
Abe met with Chinese President
Xi Jinping in
Beijing ahead of flying to the southwestern city of Chengdu to join a trilateral meeting Tuesday, which will also be attended by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
In a press briefing after the Xi-Abe meeting, Otaka Masato -- spokesman for the Japanese minister of foreign affairs -- said Abe "urged
China to continue its self-restraint" over Hong Kong and expressed "hope for an early resolution of the situation".