Boosting exchanges between the two countries’ young statesmen is of great sigificance and is an imminent task facing the two countries, Zhu said in separate meetings with Japan’s House of Representatives Speaker Tomisuke Watanuki and House of Councillors President Juro Saito.

The young statesmen should not only be taught to know the past of bilateral ties, but also should be encouraged to futher the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in the future, Zhu added.

China and Japan, two neighbors separated by “a strip of water,” have a long history of friendly exchanges, Zhu said, adding that the development of friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

The two countries should promote the development of bilateral ties toward the direction of building friendly and cooperative partnership devoted to peace and development on the basis of the principles set forth in the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty and Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, Zhu said.

The Chinese premier also noted that exchanges between parliamentarians of the two countries constitute an important part of state-to-state relations.

Watanuki and Saito said building friendly and cooperative partnership between Japan and China is a common aspiration of most of the Japanese people.

Zhu conveyed to Watanuki and Saito greetings from China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Chairman Li Peng. The two Japanese parliament leaders asked Zhu to convey their greetings to Li.

Zhu arrived here Thursday for a six-day official visit to Japan.

On Friday morning, Zhu and his Japanese counterpart Yoshiro Mori held talks to exchange views on ways to enhance bilateral friendly ties.

On Friday evening, Mori hosted a grand banquet in honor of Zhu at the Japanese prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo.

(People's Daily 10/14/2000)