Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L Front) meets with Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives Yohei Kono in Beijing, capital of China, on July 18, 2007. [Xinhua]

Wen made the remarks when meeting Yohei Kono, speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives.

Beijing is going to hold the first meeting of the China-Japan high-level economic dialogue mechanism this autumn. The mechanism was jointly launched by Premier Wen and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during Wen's Japan trip in April.

Wen said China-Japan ties stood at a stage for improvement and development, calling on both sides to properly handle sensitive issues and seize opportunities to step up strategic, mutually beneficial ties.

With China and Japan as two important economic entities, bilateral cooperation and common development were in the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

Kono, also chairman of Japan's Association for the Promotion of International Trade (APIT), is heading a large business delegation of more than 60 business people from leading Japanese enterprises.

Wen called on Japanese businesses to continue actively participating in China's economic construction and make new contributions to expanding China-Japan trade and economic cooperation.

Kono is in China at the invitation of the China Council For the Promotion of International Trade. He also met with China's top legislator Wu Bangguo and Vice President Zeng Qinghong.

He attended a reception marking the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China ties on Wednesday evening. Speaking at the event, Kono said the APIT would continue to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, adding he was confident of closer Japan-China relations.

Kono will head for China's southwest Sichuan Province to continue his China tour.