State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said in Beijing yesterday the current Sino-Japanese relationship is at a new starting point and that the two sides should seize the opportunity to further develop bilateral relations.

 

"As the Sino-Japanese relationship is at a new starting point, it is a common task for both of us to seize the opportunity, consolidate the positive trend and thus further promote the development of bilateral relations," Tang said in a meeting with Yohei Kono, speaker of House of Representatives of Japan.

 

"Therefore, the two sides should keep high-level visits, safeguard stability of the overall situation of bilateral relations, continuously expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, properly treat major sensitive issues like history and Taiwan, and avoid another disturbance to the normal development of bilateral relations," said Tang.

 

The Sino-Japanese relationship was in deadlock over the past five years because of former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 class-A WWII war criminals among some 2.5 million war dead.

 

Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid "ice-breaking" visit to China this October. The leaders of the two countries agreed to construct the strategic relationship.

 

Later, President Hu Jintao and Abe met again on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hanoi of Vietnam in November.

 

"Sino-Japanese relations have come out of the cold winter and are entering the warm spring," said Tang.

 

He added the improvement of Sino-Japanese ties is in conformity with the fundamental interest of the two peoples, and benefits peace, stability and development of Asia and the world as whole.

 

Kono, who is also chairman of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, attributed the improvement of Japan-China relations to the wise decision of the leaders of the two countries, saying he would like to push forward economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

 

Kono is visiting China at the invitation of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)