Vice President urges media to play constructive role in Sino-Japan relations

BEIJING—Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping urges Chinese and Japanese media to play a constructive role in promoting mutual understanding of the two peoples, and strategic reciprocal relationship between the two countries.
Xi made the remarks when meeting Japanese delegates attending the second round of dialogue between Chinese and Japanese media Wednesday morning. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the year of friendly communication between Chinese and Japanese youngsters and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The upcoming state visit to Japan by Chinese President Hu Jintao will further promote the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit, Xi said. It is necessary to carry out media communication between the two countries, and the media should play an active and constructive role in promoting mutual understanding of the two peoples, and strategic reciprocal relationship between the two countries, he said.
Tahara Souichirou said the upcoming Hu’s visit is a very important one, and they expect the visit to achieve success. Tahara said the Japanese people pays highly attention to China’s fast growth, and the media will make reports based on the principle of justice, all-sided and objectiveness, therefore, it is very important to enhance cooperation and communication between media of the two countries.
Xi also briefed the guests with the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the First Session of the11th National People’s Congress and the preparation of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Visiting Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren and his Japanese counterpart Fukushiro Nukaga held talks Sunday on bilateral cooperation on such global issues as the IMF reforms, development and climate change.
The talks have been the Second Japan-China Finance Dialogue since the two countries decided to establish a regular dialogue mechanism on the sidelines of the Sixth Asian-European Finance Ministers’ Meeting in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin in June 2005. During the ministerial talks, the two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on recent macroeconomic development on global economy, Asian economy, as well as the economies of both countries, said a joint press release after the dialogue.
The two ministers discussed fiscal policies of the two countries, such as policy measures for the rapidly aging society with low birthrate and the fiscal system for the central-local government, it said. They also exchanged views on regional cooperation, particularly the ASEAN+3 financial cooperation such as the Chiang Mai Initiative and the Asian Bond Markets Initiative.
At the conclusion of the dialogue, which was held in advance of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Japan, the two sides reaffirmed that the Japan-China dialogue contributes to promoting the “Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Interest” between the two countries in the field of finance.

—Xinhua