Li, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks during his talks with Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Tamisuke Watanki and House of Councilors President Yutaka Inoue.

Li hoped cultural exchanges can boost bilateral relations.

Li, who was on a week-long visit to Japan as guest of Japanese Diet leaders, attended the opening reception of the Chinese Cultural Year in Japan and the Japanese Cultural Year in China, a key cultural event marking the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese ties.

Li hoped that such cultural exchange activities will make people in both countries to commemorate the contribution of the older generations while educating young people for a better Sino-Japanese understanding, friendship and trust.

The bilateral ties have been advancing forward in the past three decades though there were turns and twists, he said, adding that such cooperation brought tremendous benefits to both sides.

The key to the smooth development of bilateral relations is to observe the principles set forth in the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, Sino-Japanese Treaty for Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, Li said.

The two sides should adhere to the spirit of drawing the lessons from the history and looking forward to the future so as to ensure the smooth development of bilateral relations.

Li also mentioned the history textbook issue, saying that the two sides have the responsibility to educate the young people with correct concepts of history. Only by learning from history can young people open a new chapter in the future, Li said.

The Japanese government last year adopted the history textbooks, which contain contents to distort the historic facts of Japanese past aggressions against the Asian countries during World War II.

Watanki and Inoue, on their part, pledged to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation between Japan's Diet and China's NPC to further enhance bilateral ties.

( April 4, 2002)