Chinese President Hu Jintao met in Beijing with Asian and European leaders who come to attend the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held on October 24 to 25.

Hu meets Sarkozy

Chinese President Hu Jintao met on Friday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is in Beijing to attend the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) scheduled on October 24-25.

Hu meets Japanese PM

Chinese President Hu Jintao met on Friday morning with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is in Beijing to attend the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) scheduled on October 24-25.

Hu said with the joint efforts of both sides, the Sino-Japanese relations had stood on a new historical starting point and confronted with an important opportunity for further development.

China and Japan, as important neighbors of each other, both were of important influence in Asia and the world. The two countries enjoyed broad common interests in regional and international affairs, and shouldered the same responsibility for safeguarding regional and world peace, stability, and prosperity, Hu noted.

He said the two nations should have their eyes on fundamental interests of the two peoples and on general trends of the world development, firmly grasp the right direction of the growth of Sino-Japanese relations, and ensure the long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.

China was ready to work with Japan to promote the strategic and mutually beneficial relations to continuously move forward, Hu said, hoping that efforts would be made in four areas.

First, he said the two nations should observe the principles of four important political documents (the joint statement in 1972, the Peace and Friendship Treaty in 1978, the joint declaration in 1998 and the joint statement in this May), increase dialogue and exchanges, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and safeguard political basis of the Sino-Japanese relations.

Secondly, the two nations should give full play to high-level economic dialogues and other mechanisms, reinforce information communication and policy coordination, expand cooperation in key areas and cement the material foundation of the Sino-Japanese relations.

Thirdly, the two nations should increase human and cultural exchanges, deepen the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially between the young peoples, so as to consolidate the social foundation for the Sino-Japanese relations.

Fourthly, Hu urged the two nations continue to work together to promote the settlement of regional hot issues and to enhance regional cooperation in East Asia, in a bid to jointly respond to global challenges and constantly expand common benefits.

Echoing Hu's remarks, Aso said to make mutually-beneficial cooperation in line with the spirit of the Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty was the call of the times.

Leaders of both nations should maintain their communications in various means on bilateral relations and global issues, Aso said, noting that this would help substantiate the bilateral strategic and mutually beneficial relations, and promote mutual understanding and trust between the two sides.

Japan and China, in recent years, had increased people-to-people exchanges, especially between the young generation, and deepened mutual understanding between Japanese and Chinese peoples, Aso said.

Aso called for the two nations to strengthen communication and cooperation especially when the whole world was confronted with a series of challenges at present time.

Hu and Aso exchanged views on the current international financial crisis.

This was Aso's first China trip since taking office last month.