Xi talks with S.Korean, Japanese leaders on relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday on boosting ties with these two countries.

During his phone talk Friday with Moon, Xi said China pays great attention to China-South Korea relations and is willing to enhance communication with South Korea, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and promote cultural exchanges so as to steadily move bilateral relations forward for both sides’ common interest.

China and Japan should properly manage their contradictions and differences to bring bilateral relations back on track and strive for new developments, Xi said Friday in a telephone conversation with Abe.

For a period of time, Japan has released positive signals and taken positive actions on bilateral relations, and China welcomes what Japan has done, Xi said during the phone conversation.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan and bilateral relations are in a significant stage when both sides should inherit the past and usher in the future, Xi told Abe.

Xi said that the two countries should go over the spirits of the peace and friendship treaty, abide by the principles of the four China-Japan political documents, implement the four-point consensus, keep promises and comply with rules.

Abe said that Japan attaches great importance to relations with China and is willing to take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of signing of the treaty to push forward comprehensive improvement and development of bilateral relations.