Koizumi made the remarks in his meeting with Li Peng, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Already visiting China for several times, Koizumi said he had witnessed China's stunning changes after the reform and opening-up drive.

He expressed his disagreement on the rhetoric that China's rapid development poses a threat to Japan. According to Koizumi, Japan's economy also had a rapidly growing period in history, but such development was conducive to not only Japan but also other countries for more opportunities of cooperation were available for all parties.

Japan and China each has its own economic advantages, he said. After China's admission into the World Trade Organization (WTO), the two countries could strengthen cooperation in more areas and such cooperation could play a positive role for the growth of economies in Asia and the world at large, he said.

He said that Japanese-Chinese friendship is of vital importance for Japan. He and his cabinet vowed to make greater efforts for the development of Japanese-Chinese friendly relations in the new century.

This is the second meeting of Li and Koizumi within three days. The two leaders jointly launched the Chinese Cultural Year in Japan and the Japanese Cultural Year in China, a key cultural exchange event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan.

Li was on a week-long visit to Japan as guest of the Japanese Diet.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2002)