Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said in Tokyo on Wednesday that the Chinese government's next contact with the Dalai Lama is likely to be conducted at an appropriate time.

Hu made the remarks at a joint press briefing with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda following their official talks at noon.

Officials from China's central government made contacts recently with private representatives of the Dalai Lama, and the next round of contact will be held at an appropriate time, Hu told reporters.

"Our attitude toward contacts and consultation with the Dalai Lama is serious. We hope that the Dalai Lama side take concrete actions to show its sincerity by earnestly stopping activities involving splitting the motherland, instigating violence and disrupting the Beijing Olympics so as to create conditions for next consultation," Hu said.

"We hope the contact to yield positive results," Hu added.

Hu is on his five-day state visit to Japan starting Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2008)