Jiang Jianguo's keynote speech at opening ceremony of 13th Beijing-Tokyo Forum

Remain true to original aspiration, build cooperative partnership of mutual trust

Promote continuous improvement and development of China-Japan relations

keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 13th Beijing-Tokyo Forum

Beijing, Dec. 16, 2017

Jiang Jianguo

Distinguished Mr. Yasuo Fukuda, Mr. Zhao Qizheng, Ambassador Yutaka Yokoi, Mr. Yasushi Akashi,

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Good Morning! I am glad to meet old and new friends in Beijing. Last month, when President Xi Jinping met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Da Nang, Vietnam, he pointed out that China and Japan should take the directions of peace, friendship and cooperation, and promote the continuous improvement and development of China-Japan relations. This would lay the foundation for bilateral development and cooperation. Yesterday, when Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and the Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with Japanese representatives of the forum, he said that the two countries should remain true to their own original aspirations, draw lessons from history, improve mutual trust, deepen friendship between people of the two sides, strengthen cooperation for mutual benefits, and boost bilateral ties. The theme of the 13th Beijing-Tokyo Forum is "building a more open world economic order, and maintaining the peace in Asia," and it has very great significance.

We have held the Beijing-Tokyo Forum for 13 years. It has become a high-level and all-directional dialogue platform between China and Japan with the joint efforts of the two sides. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties, and next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. This year's forum will continue to focus on the friendship of the two countries, review the achievements and valuable experience of bilateral relations of the two countries in the past 45 years, gather the consensus of people from all walks of life, deepen the friendship between people of the two sides, and inject new impetus into China-Japan friendship.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which was held not long before, has established the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, determined that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era and the principal contradiction facing Chinese society is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life, and set the country on a new journey of building a modern socialist country. By 2020, China will build a moderately prosperous society in all respects; by 2035, the socialist modernization will be basically realized; by the middle of the century, we will develop China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. On the new journey of the new era, China will adhere to the people-centered development idea, thoroughly implement the new development concept, build a modern economic system, deepen the reform comprehensively, and unleash the vigor of development. China will continue to follow the strategy of opening-up on the basis of win-win results, develop a higher level of openness within our economy, actively promote the international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that it benefits different countries and people of different social groups.

Japan has long been a participant and a major beneficiary in China's opening-up. On the new journey of development, China hopes that its own development and that of the countries in the world including Japan will complement each other, make continuous efforts to expand the converging interests, share fruits of development, create opportunities, build platforms together, jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and promote the development and prosperity of Asia and the world. The beautiful vision will encourage China-Japan relations to develop in a better direction. I hope all of you can talk frankly and sincerely during the forum to propose valuable advice to strengthening ties between the two countries. For this, I also have some ideas to share with you:

First, remain true to the original aspiration, and grasp the strategic direction of the steady and long-term development of China-Japan relations. Forty-five years ago, Chinese and Japanese leaders made the important decision of resuming the normalization of diplomatic relations, which ushered in a new era for the relationship between China and Japan. In the past 45 years, the two countries have deepened exchange and cooperation and made great achievements. We should remain true to our original aspiration for peace, friendship and cooperation, shoulder the historic responsibility, keep forging ahead, learn and promote the political wisdom and spirit of responsibility of the former leaders, keep promoting the stable and positive development of China-Japan relations.

Second, enhance mutual trust and maintain the political foundation for the healthy development of China-Japan relations. There are some historical disputes, real differences and sensitive issues between the two countries. With regard to the major issues of principle related to the political foundation of China-Japan relations, including the history and Taiwan issues, we will act according to the four political documents and the consensus reached between China and Japan, uphold the basis of political mutual trust, deal with the divergence between the two countries in a constructive way, and work hard to bring China-Japan relations back on the track of sound development.

Third, enhance practical cooperation and boost the driving force of the development of the cooperative and win-win China-Japan relations. Economic and trade cooperation is the driver of China-Japan relations. China and Japan should give full play to complementary advantages of both economies, and work together to enhance bilateral practical cooperation. Economic and trade cooperation in Asia or around the world can never be separated from the joint participation of China and Japan. We hope that Japan can work with China to actively promote the regional economic integration, seize the new opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, and promote the building of an open global economy.

Fourth, draw lessons from history and be firmly committed to the friendship between China and Japan. Only by correctly understanding history can we create a better future. More than 80 years ago, the Japanese imperialist war of aggression against China brought untold sufferings and severe trauma to the Chinese people. Three days ago, China held a national memorial ceremony for victims of the Nanjing Massacre to remember the dead and comfort the martyrs. We did this not to continue the hatred, but to arouse the yearning and persistence for peace in each kind person. China will adhere to the path of peaceful development, never seek hegemony or expansion, and not impose upon other nations the tragedy we have experienced. Safeguarding peace requires joint efforts by the international community. China and Japan are neighbors forever. Both countries should face up to history, cherish more the hard-earned peace, avoid similar tragedies, let the people of the two countries be friends for generations, and make unremitting efforts for the lasting peace of mankind.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Forty-five years ago, the wisdom and courage of people of the two countries to promote the normalization of diplomatic ties are still relevant today. The friendship between China and Japan boils down to the friendship of the people, and the future of China-Japan relations requires the joint efforts of people of vision in both countries. Four this, I have four suggestions:

First, the media should nurture favorable public opinion for the healthy development of China-Japan relations. The media is a window of mutual understanding for people, and an important channel for exchange and communication between countries. The media of the two countries should accurately grasp the mainstream trends and the direction of the development of China-Japan relations, shoulder responsibilities of promoting the friendship between the two countries, focus on the important issues of mutual concern, make objective and fair coverage, spread the voice of reason, strive to convert the strategic consensus of partnership and non-threat to each other into the consensus of the media and the society. Opinion polls of this year show that the public in the two counties have an improving impression of each other's countries, which I think is a result of the efforts made by the media of the two counties. I hope that the media of the two counties can work together to enhance mutual understanding, strengthen cooperation and nurture favorable public opinion for the development of bilateral relations.

Second, think tanks will contribute insights to the stable development of China-Japan relations. Think tanks play an important role in increasing political mutual trust, influencing international public opinions and deepening mutual understanding of the people. Think tanks of the two countries shoulder the responsibility of offering advice and suggestions for the improvement of China-Japan relations. Solving the difficulties facing the two countries requires all of us to talk frankly and offer practical solutions. The State Council Information Office of China will support the academic exchanges and cooperative researches between the think tanks of the two countries. We hope experts and scholars can provide new thoughts and insights for the two sides to know the past, grasp the moment and think about the future.

Third, enterprises will create good opportunities for the development of China-Japan relations of cooperation and mutual benefits. China and Japan are the world's second and third largest economies. Playing to each other's complementary advantages and strengthening cooperation are beneficial to East Asia and to the whole world. Enterprises of the two countries should seize the opportunity from each other's development, and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, including economic and trade investment. I hope enterprises of the two countries can take one's own advantages, deepen exchanges in information technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, biotechnology, high-end manufacturing, new energy, new materials and healthcare, and join hands to create opportunities for cooperation in third-party markets.

Fourth, the young generation should carry forward the firm belief that the Chinese and Japanese people will be friendly for generations. Young people are passionate about exploration and discovery. They can best understand each other in the two countries. They should take the responsibility of promoting healthy and reasonable ideas in the two countries. I hope young people from both sides can exchange ideas, learn from each other, improve together, become life-long friends, get a more comprehensive, reasonable and real picture of the two nations, and carry forward the spirit of friendship between China and Japan. For many years, the State Council Information Office of China has been cooperating with Japan to promote exchanges of young journalists of the two countries. I hope all of you can create more opportunities for the exchange and communication between young generations of the two countries to increase the bond between them, and sow the seeds of hope for the future of China-Japan friendship.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Looking back at the past 45 years since the normalization of China-Japan relations, the two countries have made great achievements by overcoming various obstacles, brought great welfare to the people of the two countries, and greatly promoted peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world. I believe that the bilateral ties could be improved only if we remain true to our original aspiration and build a cooperative partnership based on mutual trust. I hope the hosts and guests of the Beijing-Tokyo Forum will join hands to contribute to the long-lasting friendship between China and Japan.

Lastly, I wish the 13th Beijing-Tokyo Forum a full success. Thank you!