Chinese premier calls for joint efforts to improve China-Japan ties

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday called for joint efforts from China and Japan to improve bilateral relations.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (4th R, front) meets with Japanese representatives attending the fourth China-Japan Business Leader and Former High-Level Government Official Dialogue in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 10, 2018. Li also held a symposium with the representatives. [Photo/Xinhua]

Li made the remarks when meeting Japanese representatives attending the fourth China-Japan Business Leader and Former High-Level Government Official Dialogue in Beijing.

Noting this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Li said the momentum of improvement of China-Japan relations has been consolidated by the joint efforts of the two sides.

He expressed hope that the two countries will abide by the principles agreed on in the four political documents between China and Japan, to ensure the steady and sustainable development of bilateral ties.

With regard to bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Li said it is not only beneficial to the two countries but also conducive to the development of global economy and trade, as China and Japan are two major economies of the world.

He expected the two countries to make use of complementary advantages to expand cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, financial and monetary, innovation and high-tech, as well as jointly tapping a third market, and jointly safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system.

"China will continuously expand opening up. We welcome Japanese enterprises to increase investments in China and continue to play a positive role in promoting cooperation and exchanges between China and Japan," Li said.

Japanese representatives, including former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Chairman of Japan Business Federation Hiroaki Nakanishi, said the Japanese economic community is willing to promote cooperation with China in such areas as innovation, jointly tapping the third market, environmental protection and coping with the aging population.

They said that Premier Li's official visit to Japan in May has brought Japan-China relations back to the normal track.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with the representatives on Wednesday.

Wang said China and Japan should consolidate political and legal basis of bilateral relations, ensure the major consensus that the two countries are cooperation partners and sketch out a new blueprint for the future development of bilateral ties.

During the meeting with Wang, Yasuo Fukuda said that the two sides should work together to ensure Japan-China relations remain in the right direction. The Japanese side looks forward to deeply participate in the new-round of reform and opening up in China.