Both China and Japan should make continuous efforts to develop good relations between the two countries in the new century, Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao said on Sunday.
Hu, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with visiting former secretary-general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, Hiromu Nonaka.
Hu said it is vital to the healthy development of Sino-Japanese relations that politicians of both countries exchange views on issues of common concern with goodwill and on a regular basis.
Although the ties between the two countries experienced a rocky spell in the last century, Sino-Japanese relationships had made considerable progress since they were normalized nearly 30 years ago, thanks to the joint efforts of leaders and people of insight in both countries, Hu said. He said the hard-won results should be cherished.
Hu pointed out that the CPC and the Chinese Government have attached great importance to Sino-Japanese relations.
In the new century, both sides should handle bilateral relations with strategic and historic perspectives by adhering to the spirit of learning from history and looking forward to the future. They should also pay close heed to the principles fixed in the China-Japan Joint Statement, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and the China-Japan Joint Declaration, Hu said.
Efforts must be made to get rid of any obstruction to good relations.
Hu also spoke highly of Japanese friends, including Nonaka, who have made positive contributions to the development of Sino-Japanese friendship over a long period.
He expressed the hope that parties and politicians of both countries would make new contributions to a healthy, long-lasting and steady development of bilateral relations.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/06/2001)
