China is willing to create sound conditions for Japanese firms
to invest in China, Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said at the ongoing first
China-Japan high-level economic dialogue held in Beijing on
Saturday.
According to Zeng, four major problems exist in Sino-Japanese
economic ties: a slowdown in the growth rate of bilateral trade,
unsatisfactory business environment, obstacles in technological
cooperation and fluctuations of Japanese investment in China.
China also hopes Japan considers China's concerns on the status
of market economy, trade conditions, export of high and new
technologies and personnel exchanges, he said.
"China and Japan share expanding mutual interests and new
opportunities for cooperation under new historical conditions,"
said Zeng, who called for both sides to enhance economic and trade
cooperation.
"We should create a new pattern of economic and trade
cooperation, putting emphasis on both commodities and services,"
Zeng said.
The vice premier also urged the two sides to improve
technological exchanges on energy-saving and environmental
protection and work together more on global and regional economic
issues.
Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, head of the Japanese
delegation, said the dialogue was of great importance for the two
sides to build strategic reciprocal relations at the economic
level.
"The practical talks will certainly to be successful", he
said.
He urged the two sides to deepen cooperation in environmental
protection, energy-saving as well as other fields, echoing Zeng's
remarks.
Ma Kai, minister of the National Development
and Reform Commission (NDRC), said the administration would promote
the introduction of Japanese technologies with pilot projects for
Chinese companies.
Ma said Japan is expected to offer energy-saving training for
300 Chinese officials in the next three years. He said training
offered to 150 Chinese officials by the Japanese side had helped
China in stipulating relevant laws and regulations.
Zhou Shengxian, director of China's State Environmental
Protection Administration, said China would like to learn from
Japan on its expertise of water pollution prevention.
The two countries could launch a model program to address water
pollution along the Yangtze River, he said.
Zeng Peiyan also said the two sides could expand investment in
each other, and cooperate in fields of equipment manufacturing,
information and communication, logistics and high-tech
products.
The two countries should have more talks on product quality
standards and intellectual property protection in a bid to improve
trade and investment environment for both sides, Zeng said.
"As the two biggest economies in Asia, China and Japan shoulder
great responsibility for global economic stability and the
prosperity of East Asia," Zeng said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also called for joint efforts of
the two countries in boosting regional cooperation in East Asia,
for the long-term benefits of both countries and the whole
region.
The meeting was co-chaired by Zeng Peiyan and Masahiko
Komura.
The China-Japan high-level economic dialogue mechanism was
jointly launched by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
of Japan during Wen's trip to Japan in April.
Zhang Xiaoji, an expert with the Development Research Center of
the State Council, said the dialogue would help solve problems such
as China's market economy status and export limitation of some
Chinese firms to Japan.
Jin Xide, a researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies of
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the mechanism played a
major role in bringing the two countries to jointly promote
bilateral economic ties to a higher level.
Japan is China's third largest trade partner and the second
largest source of foreign direct investment.
China is Japan's largest trade partner and one of Japan's
fastest growing export markets.
(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2007)
