On April 6, 2003, Foreign Minister Li
Zhaoxing held talks with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister
Yoriko Kawaguchi.
Li pointed out that
Sino-Japanese ties had on the whole maintained
their development momentum with in-depth exchanges at
different levels. The two countries paid great attention to
communication and coordination on international and regional
affairs and bilateral economic and trade cooperation kept
expanding. Li noted that long-term stable friendly relations
of cooperation were of great significance to the stability
and prosperity of the two countries as well as to the whole
of Asia. He said that China will, as always, attach great
importance to Sino-Japanese good neighborly relations and
will continue to work actively on them.
Li
stressed that drawing on historical lessons and looking to
the future was the important consensus reached by the two
sides on issues left over by history. He expressed his hope
that the Japanese side would take practical measures to
implement this consensus to ensure the healthy and stable
development of bilateral relations.
On the
future development of Sino-Japanese ties, Li suggested the
two sides maintain high-level contact, improve communication
and exchanges at different levels, promote nongovernmental
exchanges and expand economic and trade cooperation in an
all-round way. The two countries should enrich the contents
of bilateral relations, make concerted efforts to push
forward cooperation in East Asia and be devoted to the
prosperity and revitalization of
Asia.
Kawaguchi noted that the Japan-China
relationship was one of the most important for Japan and in
recent years the two countries had had close exchanges and
cooperation in various areas. Japan was willing to look
ahead to the future on the basis of a correct understanding
of history and set up an even closer relationship of mutual
interdependence with China.
She stressed that
in handling historical issues the Japanese side would abide
by relevant speeches made by former Prime Minister Tomiichi
Murayama and the principles set forth in the Japan-China
Joint Statement and other documents.
She said
that Japan and China, both important and
influential countries, should strengthen bilateral
cooperation and coordination and make contributions to
prosperity in Asia and the world at large. This was in the
interests of both sides.
The two ministers also
exchanged views on global and regional issues of common
concern.
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