China's new ambassador takes post

China's new ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, arrived at Narita airport Sunday evening and took up his official duties in Tokyo.

Cheng, who previously did four stints at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, including an assignment as deputy chief of mission, is expected to try to cement Beijing's ties with the government of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in support of Tokyo's vision for an East Asian community.

Also high on the diplomatic agenda for the new 55-year-old ambassador will be resolving bilateral disputes over the development of gas fields in the East China Sea.

The new ambassador studied at Soka University in Tokyo between 1975 and 1977 and is proficient in Japanese.