China and Japan should take concrete action to strengthen bilateral ties, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, warning Tokyo not to cross lines regarding the Taiwan question and history.

Wang made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 17th Beijing-Tokyo Forum via video link in Beijing.

Wang expressed China's grave concerns over the Japanese government's handling of its history of aggression during the WWII and its policy on the Taiwan question. There can be no grey areas when it comes to these issues, Wang warned.

Leaders of both countries have agreed in their latest telephone talks to advance the bilateral ties that meet the requirements of the new era, Wang noted, as the two sides are marking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of the China-Japan diplomatic relations next year.

We hope the Japanese government could effectively implement the political consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners and not threats to each other, and could take concrete actions to strengthen bilateral ties, he added.

The two countries should deepen cooperation and work together to ensure the stability of global supply and product chains, and strengthen cooperation in digital economy and reducing carbon emission.

They should also properly handle major sensitive issues and manage differences in human rights and ideology, as part of efforts to maintain political trust, he added. 

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 17th Beijing-Tokyo Forum via video link in Beijing, October 25, 2021. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)