China and Japan should keep high-level exchanges and settle differences through diplomatic channels, said Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Liu made the remarks in his talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the PM official residence in Tokyo on Wednesday. At the invitation of Japan’s ruling party, Liu arrived in Japan on Tuesday to commence his visit.
Kishida welcomed Liu and the CPC delegation, and he mentioned his meeting with President Xi Jinping last November in San Francisco, where they jointly confirmed the comprehensive promotion of a strategic partnership of mutual benefit. Kishida also mentioned his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Seoul on Sunday.
He said that Japan is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with China, give full play to the role of various dialog mechanisms, engage in dialogs on unresolved issues, foster reciprocal cooperation in relevant sectors, and strive for concrete progress and achievements.
He noted that exchanges between parties play a crucial role in the development of Japan-China relations, and that this visit by the CPC delegation presents an important opportunity for the two countries to strengthen party exchanges. Kishida also said that Japan is willing to engage in communication and dialog with China on global issues.
Liu said that Xi and Kishida’s meeting in San Francisco last November serves as a strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations between the two countries, while the heads of the Chinese and Japanese governments recently conducted in-depth exchanges in South Korea, yielding positive results.
In the recent period, China-Japan relations have been developing steadily in general, but there are still challenges, Liu said, stressing that both sides should jointly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen exchanges at all levels, try to establish objective and accurate mutual understanding, and work together to build a bilateral relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.
He stressed that maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait serves the common interests of both China and Japan, and that Japan should adhere to the one-China principle and earnestly uphold the political foundation of China-Japan relations, while properly handling sensitive issues such as the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea.
Liu said that the CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with Japanese political parties to promote the improvement and development of China-Japan relations, and that China is comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization and stands ready to work with Japan for mutual benefit and common development.
“I just had an in-depth exchange of views with Prime Minister Kishida on bilateral relations between our two countries and on interactions between the Communist Party of China and Japanese political parties.
A consensus we reached is that both sides should keep high-level exchanges and effectively implement the important consensus reached by President Xi and Prime Minister Kishida on bilateral relations.
At the same time, we should also promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and advance the mutually beneficial strategic relationship between China and Japan. Also we attach importance to some challenges and differences in existence between the two countries, and we hope we could gradually settle these issues through diplomatic channels and negotiations between the two sides,” said Liu to the press after the meeting.
Liu also met with Kenta Izumi, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, on Wednesday. This is Liu’s first visit to Japan since he took the office as the head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee in May 2022.
Source: SABC
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