President Jiang Zemin stressed yesterday the absolute necessity of maintaining friendly relations with Japan when he met Tetsuzo Fuwa, chairman of the Japanese Communist Party's Central Committee.
Both China and Japan should treasure their friendship, added Jiang, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Jiang said that historical issues and the issue of Taiwan were matters of principle in China-Japan relations and therefore must be treated seriously and appropriately.
He said the development of mutually beneficial economic cooperation was the material basis and driving force of China-Japan relations, which would in turn help regional and world prosperity and development.
To realize the long-term, healthy and stable development of friendly relations between China and Japan, the two sides should show great foresight, act in the interests of peace and development, and draw on historical lessons to ensure that friendship between the two peoples will last from generation to generation, Jiang said.
Tetsuzo Fuwa said great changes had taken place in the world over the past few years and China was playing an increasingly important role in world affairs. Stable and developing Japan-China relations are significant for peace and stability in Asia in the 21st century, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2002)
