Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Saturday had a joint interview with journalists from Japanese and the Republic of Korea (ROK) media ahead of his visit to four Asian nations including the two countries.

Xi will pay an official visit to Japan, the ROK, Cambodia and Myanmar from Dec. 14 to 22, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Japanese media include Kyodo News, Asahi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nihon Hoso Kyokai and Fuji TV. The ROK media include Yonhap News, Joong-ang Ilbo, Korean Broadcasting System and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation.

Following are the highlights of the interview:

China-Japan relations

Xi said with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao's successful meetings with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, relations between China and Japan have had a good start and maintained a good development momentum. The Chinese government always pursues a friendly policy towards Japan from the strategic and long-term point of view.

China is willing to carry out more exchanges and cooperation with Japan based on the guiding principles agreed by the two sides, and promote the bilateral strategic and reciprocal relations, Xi said, adding he hopes his visit will contribute to this end.

Eestablishment of East Asia community

Xi said the proposal of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to establish an east Asia community shows the importance Japanese government attaches to and its active stance on east Asia regional cooperation. This idea accords with the trend of Asian integration, and is also the common goal of the countries within this region. It is a systematic project to construct such a community, which should be base on reality and meanwhile take a long-term point of view. The most important thing to do at present is to strengthen dialogue and negotiation between countries so as to form consensus.

China-ROK relations

Xi said China and the ROK have maintained a sound development of relations, with frequent contacts of state leaders and expanding economic cooperation and trade.

The two nations have designated 2010 as Visit China Year and 2012 as Visit Korea Year. Xi said he hopes the two countries will joint hands to well prepare for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the 2012 Yeosu World Expo, and take them as important platforms to further promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Xi said to further develop the China-ROK relations is conducive to the two people's interests and regional peace, stability and prosperity. China will work with ROK to strengthen the friendly cooperation and be good neighbors, good friends and good partners forever.

He expected his visit to consolidate the two countries' exchanges and cooperation, and promote the China-ROK strategic partnership of cooperation.

China-ROK free trade zone

Xi said to expand trade and economic cooperation is an important part of China-ROK relationship, and a great impetus to promote the ties. He hoped relevant departments of the two countries will speed up their work to create conditions for an early start of official negotiations on the free trade zone.

Cooperation among China, Japan and ROK

Xi said Asia is one of the most vigorous and promising regions in the world. China, Japan and ROK are major countries in the region. To strengthen cooperation among them not only conforms to their own interests, but also benefits Asia and the world as a whole.

The nations should grasp the historic opportunity to expand cooperation, give play to their cooperation in promoting the east Asia cooperation and contributing to the construction of an east Asia community, Xi said.