China and Japan on Wednesday vowed to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields in efforts to forge strategic relationship, according to a Sino-Japanese joint press communique.

In the communique issued after talks between visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, both sides agreed to boost cooperation in environmental protection including prevention of water and air pollution, and to cope with climate change as well as acid rain and sand storms.

Both sides will enhance cooperation in the fields of energy saving, coal, nuclear energy and carry out cooperation on the sustainable development of forests.

The two sides also reached agreement to actively cooperate in agriculture.

In the area of medicine, the two sides agreed to promote the idea of carrying out medical cooperation focusing on the fight against cancer and new strains of flu.

The two sides also agree to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the field of intellectual property rights on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Both countries will also strengthen cooperation in financing and financial supervision as well as in the judicial area.

Premier Wen arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday for a three-day official visit which he has described as an "ice thawer" in Sino-Japanese ties following the "ice-breaking" trip by his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe to China last October.

Prior to his Japanese tour, Wen paid a two-day official visit to South Korea.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2007)