Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday that China will make concerted efforts with Japan to advance their strategic, mutually-beneficial relationship.

 

Hu made the remarks when meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the meeting between the Group of Eight major industrialized nations and five major developing countries in Germany's Baltic resort of Heiligendamm.

 

President Hu lauded the efforts made by Abe, the Japanese government and people of all walks of life in developing China-Japan relations, saying bilateral ties are faced with an important opportunity of further development.

 

"There is a lot of work to do to seize this opportunity and push forward the strategic, mutually-beneficial relationship between the two countries," said the president.

 

The development of China-Japan relations bears upon the two peoples' fundamental interests and has an important influence on peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world at large, Huadded.

 

"We should always take hold of the development direction of China-Japan ties from a strategic point of view, and make continuous efforts for the two peoples' peaceful coexistence, friendship for generations, mutually-beneficial cooperation and common development," he said.

 

Under the principles set forth in the three political documents, China and Japan should lay a solid foundation for the further development of bilateral relations by strengthening mutual political trust and broadening mutually-beneficial cooperation, Husaid.

 

He said the history issue and the Taiwan question bear upon the political foundation of China-Japan relations, adding that the appropriate handling of the two issues is of great importance for the healthy, stable development of bilateral ties.

 

The two sides should abide by commitments and implement their consensus in their policies and acts, he said.

 

On the East China Sea issue, Hu said China and Japan would find an acceptable solution for both sides if they stand by the general goal of making the East China Sea "a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship."

 

For his part, Abe said this year marks the 35th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and China, and is also an exchange year of cultural and sports events.

 

Japan is willing to seize this opportunity to boost its strategic, mutually-beneficial relationship with China, he said.

 

Abe said Japan will properly handle the history issue and the Taiwan question under principles stated in the Japan-China Joint Declaration.

 

He hoped that the two sides could reach consensus on the joint exploitation of the East China Sea as early as possible.

 

The two leaders also exchanged views on the global climate change, and agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the area.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 9, 2007)