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Hu: Five-point proposal on Sino-Japan ties

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-03 18:20

LONDON -- Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward a five-point proposal on China-Japan relations here on Thursday to ensure the sound and stable development of bilateral ties.

During a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso after the Group of 20 summit Thursday evening, Hu said that as a whole, the development of China-Japan relations maintains fine momentum at present.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shake hands with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in London, Britain Thursday, April 2, 2009. [Agencies]

He said that in the context of the changing international situation and the grave impact of the global financial crisis, it is more important for the two countries to strengthen cooperation and make joint efforts to overcome the current difficulties.

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He made a proposal to push forward China-Japan relations from five aspects.

The first is to maintain the momentum of bilateral high-level exchanges and continue to implement the consensus on exchanging visits by leaders of the two countries every other year.

Leaders of the two countries can also make use of multi-lateral occasions to keep frequent contacts and exchange views on bilateral relations and other major issues.

The second is to further push forward bilateral economic and trade cooperation as China and Japan are important economic and trading partners to each other. Both sides should adopt measures to overcome difficulties, explore potentials and expand channels in efforts to keep a stable bilateral trade volume this year.

The two sides should also adjust trade structure, strengthen cooperation in such fields as information, environmental protection and high-technology, and cultivate new growth points.

China and Japan should also continue to conduct exchanges in various fields, especially exchanges and dialogues between political parties, legislatures and armies of the two countries and enhance security mutual trust.

Personnel exchanges, especially that between young people, should be strengthened in a bid to enhance the social basis for bilateral friendship after a certain period of time.

The fourth is to reinforce bilateral cooperation in international affairs, especially in Asia. The two sides should jointly support the efforts of related countries in the region in dealing with the impact of the international financial crisis, push forward the building of a Free Trade Zone in East Asia, expand regional common market and promote regional economic and financial cooperation.

The fifth is to properly handle sensitive issues and better safeguard the overall situation of bilateral relations. The development of the current Sino-Japanese relations has been hard-earned and is worth treasuring, Hu said.

China hopes that the two sides will handle related sensitive issues appropriately in line with the principles set forth in the four bilateral political documents and relevant understandings, and prevent such issues from obstructing the general situation of bilateral relations, he said.

China and Japan are inter-dependent economically and share similar stance on opposing trade and investment protectionism and safeguarding regional economic and financial stability. The Chinese side is willing to continue to strengthen communication and cooperation with Japan on policy and information at bilateral, international and regional levels, Hu added.

Aso said he was looking forward to his upcoming visit to China and was glad that the Japan-China-ROK Leader's Meeting would be held in China this year. The two countries should strengthen bilateral strategic and mutually-beneficial relations, expand communication and cooperation in various fields and jointly tackle the international financial crisis, he said.

He said Japan and China benefited greatly from the opening of the international economic system, and both sides, under the spreading international financial crisis, should make efforts to avoid tariff barriers, oppose trade protectionism and push for the restoration of global economic growth.

Aso said he hoped that bilateral exchanges between young people of the two countries would be maintained and expanded and both sides should make efforts from the perspective of common interests so as to avoid the negative influence of some issues.