‘China, Japan relations most important’

BEIJING—A Japanese statesman said here Friday that Japan-China ties are the one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world and the two nations should build strategic and reciprocal relations based on a consensus.
Sadakazu Tanigaki, the policy research council chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), one of Japan’s two ruling parties, said that a stable relationship between Japan and China was of great importance to Asia’s development and prosperity. “I think the key fact for the Japan-China relationship is that it not only concerns the two countries but also is vital to the peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world at large,” Sadakazu Tanigaki said in a written interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the third meeting of the ruling party’s exchange mechanism.
He highlighted the rapid growth of the Chinese economy, saying that Japan has had much success in addressing the problems caused by public hazards, energy waste and unemployment, which are “worth sharing with China”. He said Japan hopes to further bilateral cooperation in fields such as trade, energy, environment and public health.
“The environmental issue has become a global concern and I believe the two nations could establish effective cooperation regarding that,” he said. He also suggested that ties between the two Asian neighbors should be regarded as “indispensable” and should be further boosted by “expanding common interests and furthering mutual understanding”. Tetsuo Saito, chairman of the policy research council of the New Komeito, the other ruling party of Japan, recognized that the growth of the Chinese economy offered opportunity for Japan. He predicted that the economic interaction between the two biggest Asian economies would intensify with the expansion of China’s international influence.
He told Xinhua that his party attaches high importance to the exchange programs that involve the young generations of the two countries. The year 2007 marks the 35th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties. Also, China will host the Olympic Games next year. Both events will provide an opportunity to step up youth exchange programs, Tetsuo Saito added. Both Japanese leaders praised the exchange mechanism, stressing that is important and Japan hopes it would contribute tothe development of strategic and reciprocal relations. Invited by the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Japanese delegation came to Beijing to attend the third such exchange meeting.
During their stay in Beijing, senior CPC leader Xi Jinping, Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, all met with the delegation. In a bid to promote healthy, stable development of bilateral ties, it was important to continue high-level exchanges, especially contacts and visits between state leaders, and keep dialogue open at various levels, he said. Wang also called on the two sides to strengthen political trust, carefully maintain the political foundation for bilateral ties, properly handle historical issues and the Taiwan question, expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation and facilitate cultural and personnel exchanges.
He urged the two countries’ statesmen to make a renewed contribution to China-Japan friendship. “The ruling party’s exchange mechanism was set up in the difficult period of bilateral relations,” Wang said, adding that it has played an important role in the improvement of bilateral ties.
The current meeting is taking place amid the continuous improvement of bilateral ties, he said, calling on statesmen of the two countries’ ruling parties to contribute to further development of mutually beneficial ties. Wang also expressed appreciation of the two countries’ positive efforts and remarkable progress in drawing up and building such strategic and mutually beneficial ties over the past year. Sadakazu Tanigaki, policy research council chairman of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, and Tetsuo Saito, chairman of the policy research council of the New Komeito, led the Japanese delegation and made key-note speeches.
Affirming the positive role of the ruling party’s exchange mechanism, the Japanese participants said that cementing dialogues between the two countries not only helps enhance mutual understanding but also contributes to the stability of the region and the international community.—Xinhua