President Hu Jintao yesterday highlighted the upturn in
China-Japan relations, saying the two countries need to fulfill
their pledge to advance bilateral relations.
Hu made the remarks during a meeting with Japan's House of
Councilors President Chikage Ogi, who is on a three-day visit to
Beijing.
Ogi's visit comes a week after Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe, the first Japanese leader to visit China in five years, held
talks with Chinese leaders in Beijing, a visit President Hu
described as a "turning point" in diplomatic relations.
China and Japan reached a consensus on overcoming the political
obstacles affecting bilateral relations and promoting development
of friendly cooperation, said Hu.
"China will work with Japan to implement the important consensus
reached by the two sides and push forward China-Japan relations in
a stable and healthy manner," Hu told Ogi.
Ogi and China's top legislator Wu Bangguo signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) on Monday, officially launching a regular exchange mechanism
between the two countries' top legislative bodies.
Hu said the parliamentary exchanges were an important part of
China-Japan friendly cooperation and would offer a new platform for
discussions between the legislatures.
Japan highly values relations with China, said Ogi, the first
female upper house president in Japanese history, adding
Sino-Japanese friendship will not only benefit the two nations, but
also contribute to peace and stability in Asia and the world.
(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2006)