Xi: China, Japan must play constructive global role

CHINESE President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met yesterday on further improving bilateral ties and shouldering joint responsibility in promoting global and regional peace and stability, as well as development and prosperity.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 4th Eastern Economic Forum held in Russia’s Far Eastern port city of Vladivostok.

Xi expressed his sympathy for the heavy casualties and property losses in Japan’s Kansai area and Hokkaido, which were hit not long ago by a powerful typhoon and an earthquake respectively.

The international situation is undergoing profound and complicated changes with increasing instability and uncertainties, Xi said.

Both as major economies in the world and important regional countries, China and Japan should assume joint responsibility to play a constructive role in safeguarding global and regional peace and stability, as well as development and prosperity, he said.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Abe and the Japanese government have recently made a positive gesture toward the ties with China, said the Chinese president.

With efforts from both sides, the China-Japan relations have entered the right track and are facing an important opportunity for improvement, Xi said, calling on the two countries to meet each other halfway, maintain good momentum, steadily carry forward bilateral ties and achieve greater development under new circumstances.

China and Japan should always adhere to the four political documents signed by the two sides, consolidate political foundation, follow the right direction, and manage and control their differences in a constructive way, Xi said.

The Japanese side in particular needs to properly address sensitive issues such as issues relating to history and Taiwan, actively create a good atmosphere and continue to expand common interests, he added.

China welcomes Japan’s active participation in its reform and opening-up process in order to realize common development and prosperity, Xi told Abe.

The Belt and Road Initiative has provided a new platform and experimental field for China and Japan to deepen their mutually beneficial cooperation, Xi said, adding that China is willing to work with Japan to focus on the new circumstances, explore new paths and create new highlights for the two countries’ practical cooperation.

Abe appreciated Xi for his sympathy for Japan’s losses caused by the natural disasters.

Japan has been committed to participating in China’s reform and opening-up process while China’s development has also exerted a positive and important influence on Japan, said Abe.

He said Japan hopes to establish a closer relationship with China so as to achieve common development and prosperity.

Japan is willing to make positive efforts to boost high-level exchanges with China, strive for more fruits in cooperation and fast-forward the improvement of the Japan-China ties, Abe said.

On history and Taiwan issues, Japan has not changed its stance confirmed in bilateral political documents, he added.