Wang Yi calls for benign interaction between China, Japan

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China's Embassy in Tokyo for a ceremony marking Chinese National Day is good news, adding that he is looking forward to more such news emerging out of China-Japan relations. He also stressed that the good news should not be followed by some bad news.

Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Japan's Ambassador to China Yutaka Yokoi in Beijing on Thursday.

"This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan," Wang said. "During the past 45 years, China and Japan have overcome many difficulties and made significant progress in developing bilateral relations."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. /Xinhua Photo

He called it a "historical responsibility" for both countries to further improve their relationship.

The Chinese foreign minister called on Japan to adopt more positive policies toward China and make more efforts to facilitate cooperation between the two countries, in order to realize "benign interaction."

Bilateral relations should not "move one step forward and one step back, or even one step forward and two steps back," Wang stressed.

Yokoi said Abe's visit to the Chinese Embassy showed Japan's "goodwill" to improve its relationship with China.

Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the Japanese ambassador said, adding that Japan would like to work with China to further enhance the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties.

Abe marks China's National Day in Tokyo ceremony

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took time off from election campaigning on Thursday to attend a ceremony marking China's upcoming National Day at the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo.

Abe, who this week called a snap election, attended the ceremony that took place a day before China and Japan mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties.

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua (2nd L) poses for a photo with Yasuo Fukuda (1st L), former prime minister of Japan, at a ceremony marking China's upcoming National Day in Tokyo on September 28, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Cheng Yonghua, Chinese ambassador to Japan, said during the ceremony that the relationship between China and Japan has improved but is still facing some sensitive and complicated factors.

Abe said that cooperation between Japan and China is not only important to both countries, but also indispensable to peace and prosperity in Asia and beyond.

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua (R) poses for a photo with Yukio Hatoyama, former prime minister of Japan, at a ceremony marking China's upcoming National Day in Tokyo on September 28, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

He added that he is willing to make efforts to promote the development of a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship between Japan and China.

Promote bilateral relations

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a press briefing on Thursday that it is hoped that Japan could meet China halfway and take the 45th anniversary of normalization of bilateral ties as an opportunity to promote the improvement and development of the bilateral relationship in the right direction.

Lu Kang urged the two sides to promote the bilateral relationship in the spirit of taking history as a mirror while facing up to the future, abide by the principles defined in the four political documents and the four-point principled agreement, safeguard the political foundation of the bilateral relationship and steadily carry out communications and cooperation.

Snap election called

Abe attended the ceremony days after calling a snap election, which will be held on October 22.

The Japanese prime minister hopes that a recent boost in voter support will help his Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition maintain a simple majority. It now holds a two-thirds “super” majority.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd R), who is also ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader, delivers a speech as coalition Komeito Party leader Natsuo Yamaguchi (2nd L) looks on, in Tokyo, Japan on September 28, 2017. /Reuters Photo

However, a fledgling party led by popular Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike is gaining momentum after the biggest opposition Democratic Party said it would step aside to let its candidates run under her conservative, reformist banner.

Koike’s new Party of Hope, only formally launched on Wednesday, has upended the outlook for the election after the former LDP member announced she would lead it herself.

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency