Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech in the
Japanese Diet (parliament) on Thursday, the first by a Chinese
leader in 22 years.
In his speech on Sino-Japanese friendship and cooperation,
Premier Wen said his current visit to Japan is aimed at learning
the latest developments of Japan and to push forward Sino-Japanese
relations to a new historic stage and realizing the goal of
"peaceful coexistence, friendship for generations,
mutually-beneficial cooperation and common development".
"If Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe's visit to China last October
can be described as an ice breaker, then I hope my visit to Japan
will be an ice thawer. I came to Japan for friendship and
cooperation, " Wen told the Japanese lawmakers.
Wen said that the Chinese and Japanese leaders have reached
consensus on forging strategically reciprocal relations between the
two nations.
(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2007)
