Wang Yi urges China and Japan to build constructive and stable ties

China and Japan should jointly advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit and build constructive and stable bilateral ties fit for the new era, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday during a phone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

During the talks, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, congratulated Motegi on taking office once again as the Japanese foreign minister.

China and Japan are each other's important neighbors, Wang said, noting that China has maintained consistency and stability in its policies toward Japan. He added that China is willing to work with Japan to continue upholding the principles and following the direction set in the four political documents between the two nations.

China has noticed the positive signals sent by the new Japanese cabinet, Wang said, adding that high-level exchanges are of great significance to the development of bilateral relations.

It is hoped that Japan's new cabinet will make a good start in engaging with China and put right "the first button of a shirt," said Wang.

Emphasizing that history and the Taiwan question are fundamental to the political foundation of bilateral relations and the basic good faith between the two sides, Wang expressed hope that Japan would join hands with China to uphold the political foundation and promote the continuous improvement and development of bilateral relations on the right track.

For his part, Motegi said that as the international landscape undergoes profound transformations, Japan and China are shouldering increasingly significant international responsibilities.

China is an important neighbor of Japan, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attaches great importance to Japan-China relations, he said.

The Japanese side has never intended to decouple or sever supply chains with the Chinese side, and hopes that both sides will enhance exchanges at all levels, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences, and fully advance a constructive and stable strategic relationship of mutual benefit between the two countries, Motegi added.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on specific issues of mutual concern.

(With input from Xinhua)