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November 22, 2002



Li Peng Interviewed by Japan's Journalists

China's top legislator Li Peng said Tuesday in the southern Japanese city of Kagoshima that China and Japan should forge ahead with their friendship from one generation to the next.

Li said this when being interviewed by Asahi Shimbun and TV Asahi before winding up his eight-day visit to Japan. The chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress returned to Beijing late yesterday after a brief stay at Kagoshima.

There may be problems in bilateral ties in the future, but China has always held that as long as the two countries look far into the future then the Sino-Japanese relationship will develop in a sound and steady manner, Li said.

They should strictly abide by the three guiding documents on bilateral relations and take these problems seriously from the perspective of the overall development of bilateral ties, he added.

The 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement and the 1978 bilateral Treaty of Peace and Friendship said that the two neighbors will not use force to solve their disputes and that Japan agrees to adhere to the one-China policy. They pledged to work for a friendly co-operative partnership of peace and development in the 1998 Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration.

When answering a question about China's rapid economic development, Li denied that it poses a threat to Japan. He said national regeneration has provided Japanese businesses with a lot of opportunities and broad space for co-operation.

China hopes that Japan's economy will get out of its current difficulties soon and Li said this will also be conducive to the further development of trade and economic co-operation between the two neighbors.

Japan has become China's largest trading partner and China is Japan's second largest. Bilateral trade volume registered US$87.7 billion last year.

(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2002)

In This Series
Li Peng Ends Visit to Japan

Li Peng Pushes Long-term Ties With Japan

Li Calls for More Party Cooperation

Japan Should Hold Active Attitude to China's Development

Harmonious Ties Conducive to China, Japan

Japanese Emperor Akihito Meets China's Top Legislator

Top Legislator Li Peng Begins Japan Tour

Li Peng Leaves for Visit to Japan

Top Legislator Li Peng to Visit Japan

References

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Chinese Foreign Ministry



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