Communique highlights common strategic interests

China and Japan have agreed that bilateral relations are one of the most important diplomatic priorities for both countries, according to a joint press communique issued yesterday.
The communique was issued as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began a visit to Beijing.
Both sides agreed to make efforts to build a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests, and to realize the goals of peaceful co-existence, friendship, mutually beneficial co-operation and common development, the communique said.
Sustaining the healthy and stable development of Sino-Japanese relations is in the fundamental interests of both countries. The two countries share a responsibility to jointly contribute to the peace, stability and development of Asia and the world, it said.
Both sides believe that since the normalization of bilateral relations 34 years ago, China and Japan have continuously expanded and deepened exchanges and co-operation as inter-dependence has grown, said the statement.
The two governments agreed to continue to abide by the principles of the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration. They agreed to face history squarely and look to the future, it said.
They agreed to properly deal with problems affecting the development of relations and to promote bilateral relations through expanding political and economic links.
Both sides believed that contact and dialogue between their leaders were significant for the healthy development of relations.
The Japanese side invited Chinese leaders to visit Japan, for which the Chinese side expressed gratitude and consent in principle. They agreed to further discuss the issue through diplomatic channels and to hold frequent talks on occasions of international meetings, the communique said.
The Chinese side emphasized the peaceful development of China, which would work with other countries, including Japan, to pursue common development and prosperity.
The communique said the Japanese side commented positively on China's pursuit of peaceful development and the huge opportunities it has brought to the international community, including Japan, since it began to reform and open to the outside world.
The Japanese side stressed that Japan has been pursuing, and would continue to pursue, the route of a peaceful country since the end of World War II. The Chinese side commented positively on this.

 - China Daily,  Daily Mail news exchange item