China willing to promote upgrading of economic ties with Japan

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that under the new circumstances, China is willing to promote the upgrading of its economic relationship with Japan.

Wang made the remarks during meeting with figures from Japanese economic circles, including Sadayuki Sakakibara, current chairman of Keidanran or Japan Business Federation, and Hiroaki Nakanishi, who has been elected Keidanran's next leader.

Wang said China welcomes Japan to join the Belt and Road Initiative, which will open up new space for bilateral economic cooperation and is willing to work with Japan to promote global free trade, safeguard World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and develop an open world economy.

Members of Keidanran said that the business organization has long been dedicated to promoting friendship between China and Japan and supporting China's reform and development. It is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road construction and continue to make efforts to promote friendly cooperation between the two countries and develop closer economic ties.

Wang also met with Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Tuesday.

Wang said he hoped that Nikai would continue to play a positive role in bringing more people in Japan to support the development of relations between China and Japan, especially more young people to participate in the China-Japan friendship cause.

Nikai, for his part, said that stable, peaceful and friendly bilateral relationship is very important, and the two sides should continue to deepen people-to-people exchanges, promote mutual understanding and trust between political parties and politicians of the two countries to create a sound external environment and solid foundation of public opinion for the improvement of bilateral relationship.

During his visit, Wang also met with former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and some lawmakers of the LDP.‍

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency