People's China: How to build Sino-Japanese friendship and develop strategic and mutually beneficial relations under the new historical situation?

Cheng Yonghua: In April this year, President Xi stressed the need to strictly follow the spirit of the four political documents agreed between the two countries during an official talk with Prime Minister Abe, and emphasized the need to create a social consensus in both countries that "China and Japan are partners that do not pose a threat to each other." In May, President Xi stressed the need to jointly promote peaceful development and boost friendship with Japan when he addressed the China-Japan friendship exchange meeting.

The Chinese government supports people-to-people exchange between the two countries, and encourages people from all walks of life, especially the young generation, to work for China-Japan friendship. We hope people from both sides will firmly stick to friendship, and strengthen bilateral cooperation, so as to collect more positive energy for Sino-Japanese relations in future.

To develop a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship under the current situation, we have to: firstly, stick to a relationship that features peace, friendship and cooperation; secondly, set up an objective and rational system of mutual cognition; thirdly, attach importance to each other's concerns, and deal with significant and sensitive issues properly.

Another lesson that should be drawn is to keep promises. The conflicts between the two counties are not new. Both sides have already reached agreements and understanding on those issues. As long as they keep their promises and abide by regulations, China and Japan will create a good future for the development of both countries. Otherwise, the relations between the two sides will face more twists and turns.

People's China: Could you give us an introduction about the significance of China's peaceful development and neighborhood diplomacy? Are these policies an opportunity or threat for Japan?

Cheng Yonghua: During profound changes in the international situation, China advocates that all countries should have a sense of a shared destiny, and seek benefits through joint development. In 2013, China proposed to build the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road," which received wide responses from related countries. In the same year, President Xi Jinping proposed to create the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which will open at the end of this year. All these initiatives are aimed to promote regional economic development and integration, and contribute to a harmonious Asia and world at large.

Regarding Japan, the Chinese government is willing to work with Japan as partners, and hopes the Japanese government will adopt a similar stance, abandoning confrontational thinking, and consider China as its real partner instead of rival.

As the second and third largest economies in the world, China and Japan should discuss how to strengthen their coordination on regional and international affairs, and promote cooperation in various fields, including Asian finance and monetary, and infrastructure, to promote interconnectivity.

The article was written in Chinese and translated by Lin Liyao.