The political confrontation between China and Japan is of no
good to the two countries and their two peoples, said Yoshio
Nakata, senior executive director of the Japanese Association for
the Promotion of International Trade, noting that the two sides
should strengthen their relations and carry out reciprocal
cooperation.
Nakata made the remarks Wednesday at a forum on Sino-Japanese
economic cooperation at the 16th China Harbin Fair for Trade and
Economic Cooperation in northeastern Heilongjiang
Province.
He said that although the two countries have made remarkable
achievements in economic, trade and technical cooperation, there
have emerged some problems in political and diplomatic affairs.
He stressed that Japan and China, taking into consideration the
overall situation of bilateral relations and the long-term
interests of the two peoples, should strengthen exchanges and
dialogue between them since the two countries shoulder the
important responsibility of ensuring peace and development in the
region and the world.
"We hope the Japanese government will take concrete action to
solve one by one the problems between the two countries," Nakata
said.
He said that improved China-Japan trade will continue exerting a
direct and great influence on Japan's economy. Further, China's
booming economy has provided many opportunities to Japanese
companies, including those in the steel and mining industries.
The trade volume between Japan and China, including Hong Kong,
reached US$168.77 billion in 2004, accounting for about?20
percent of Japan's overall trade volume, he said.
As for future cooperation, Nakata said besides the previous
sectors of cooperation, Japan will endeavor to promote bilateral
cooperation in tertiary industries and prompt Japanese companies to
join in the development of less-developed regions in China.
(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)