Li said Sino-Japanese ties, overall, had 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 said.

Li said 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.

"China will, as always, attach great importance to Sino-Japanese good neighborly relations and will continue to work actively on them," Li said.

"Drawing on historical lessons and looking ahead to the future "was the important consensus reached by the two sides on issues left over by history, Li said.

He expressed hope 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 people-to-people exchanges and expand economic and trade cooperation in an all-round way.

The two countries should enrich the content of bilateral relations, make concerted efforts to push forward cooperation in East Asia and be devoted to the prosperity and revitalization of Asia, Li said.

Kawaguchi said 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 said.

She said 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 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, she said.

The two ministers also exchanged views on global and regional issues of common concern.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2003)