China says "long-term friendship" only option for Sino-Japanese relations GOV.cn Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A senior Chinese leader said Wednesday that "long-term friendship" was the only way for China and Japan to coexist, adding that disputes between the countries should be solved through dialogue and consultation. Vice President Xi Jinping's remarks came during his meeting with a delegation from Japan's New Komeito party headed by its new chief Natsuo Yamaguchi, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "History already proved that cooperation with mutual benefit serves the fundamental interests of the two sides and developing the long-term friendship is the only option available for the two nations," said Xi. The vice president called on the two sides to advance their strategic and reciprocal relations by carrying out the consensus reached between the two leaders in the four political documents. The four political documents, namely the China-Japan joint statement on comprehensively advancing strategic and reciprocal relations, the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, serve as the bedrock for developing friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
China-Japan relations have been strained since a collision between two Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships and a Chinese trawler on Sept. 7 in waters off the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. China took countermeasures against Japan after Japan illegally detained the trawler's captain, halting bilateral exchanges at and above the provincial and ministerial levels and suspending talks on expanding aviation services between the two countries. Xi spoke positively of the contribution that the New Komeito party had made in promoting China-Japan relations. The vice president expressed his hope that the political party could continue to expand mutual understanding and trust and foster friendship between the two peoples. Echoing Xi's views, Yamaguchi said the New Komeito party would further implement its friendly China policy. The stable development of relations between Japan and China is conducive to maintaining peace and prosperity in the world, Yamaguchi said. The New Komeito party delegation's China visit is at the invitation of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.