BEIJING - People from China and Japan agree that the economic development of the country over the sea "brings about benefits" to their own country, according to an annual survey commissioned by China Daily. However, that feeling has declined over three years.

This year, 63.5 percent of members of the Chinese public who were surveyed believe Japan's economic growth is beneficial to China. The figure was 70.7 percent in 2009 and 65.8 percent last year.

Among members of the Japanese public, 41.9 percent agreed that China's economic development benefits their own country. That compares with 47.5 percent in 2009 and 49.5 percent last year.

The views were the same, but stronger, when the questionnaires were handed to intellectuals.

Majorities in each country - 68.9 percent in China this year and 81.4 percent in Japan - endorsed the other country's beneficial economic influence. That view has held steady among Japanese intellectuals, with 81.4 percent in 2009 and 82.4 percent last year.

When China-Japan ties have cooled as a result of some dispute, their relations have emphasized economic rather than political areas, the survey report said.

Liu Jiangyong, vice-dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, told China Daily, "Both Japan and China are expected to get rid of the discordance and initiate a virtuous circle, which involves corresponding progress on both political and economic agendas."

Although the two countries' ordinary people have differed on political and sensitive issues, economic benefits remain welcomed by people from both sides, according to the seven-year sequence of the China-Japan relations surveys.

When Japanese intellectuals were asked to describe their first impression of China, 37.8 percent chose the option "economy", which was described with such terms as "economic growth" and "economic power".

The report said that showed they have paid more attention to in-depth factors behind China's image, and that issues concerning the economy have "come among top priorities".

Cooperation in technology and environmental protection is among the hottest topics that both countries' intellectuals want their top leaders to discuss with each other, the report said.

This year, 26.2 percent of Japanese intellectuals and 25.9 percent of their Chinese counterparts hopes the policymakers talk about hi-tech and environment protection. In addition, 27.6 percent of Japanese intellectuals show greater interest in the development of oil and gas resources in the East China Sea.

The data also show that the Chinese public's interest in trade and investment issues stands at 19.1 percent this year, compared with 17.7 percent last year.

In the context of the Japanese economy's recovery from the major earthquake in March and China's faster pace in exports to Japan, trade ties between China and Japan are seeing sign of prosperity this year, experts said.

The trade volume grew 17.3 percent in the first three quarters of this year, Liu said. Total volume is expected to exceed $340 billion.