China on Tuesday once again urged Japan to make a "positive" and
"well-meaning" response to President Hu Jintao's remarks on
Sino-Japanese ties and work to restore normal bilateral
relations.
"The current status of the Sino-Japanese ties isn't in accord
with the basic interests of the people of the two counties, nor
does it meet the expectations of the international community. They
should be changed as soon as possible," Chinese top political
advisor Jia Qinglin said at a meeting with a delegation of the
Japanese Council for the Promotion of International Trade, led by
former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.
Jia recalled Hu's remarks on March 31 in a meeting with the
heads of seven Japan-China friendship organizations in Beijing,
saying that the remarks provided direction on improving bilateral
ties.
"President Hu's remarks fully demonstrate China's positive
attitude and sincere goodwill," said Jia, who is also chairman of
the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference.
The relationship between China and Japan has chilled in recent
years due to Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro's repeated
visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 2.5 million Japanese
war dead, including about a dozen major World War II criminals.
Leaders of the two neighboring countries have halted exchanges
of visit for over four years, ever since Koizumi began paying
homage to the controversial war shrine soon after he took office in
2001.
At his March meeting with the heads of seven Japan-China
friendship organizations, Hu said the Chinese government values the
Sino-Japanese relations and regards it as one of the important
bilateral relations in the world, and China has made unswerving
efforts to improve the ties.
Hu also offered talks with Japanese leaders as soon as they make
an unequivocal decision to stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine.
"We hope the Japanese side will make positive and well-meaning
responses with concrete measures and join hands with China to put
bilateral ties back on track and move toward healthy and stable
development as soon as possible," Jia said.
Jia also highlighted China's economic and trade cooperation with
Japan, saying that the two countries, as key trading partners,
should take further steps to expand cooperation to enhance the
bilateral economic ties.
Hashimoto said the political relations between Japan and China
were currently difficult, but the will of the people of both
countries for bilateral friendship remains unchanged.
He said the purpose of his delegation's visit was to exchange
views on enhancing bilateral economic cooperation with relevant
Chinese departments in a bid to make positive efforts to improve
bilateral ties.
The Japanese delegation was invited by the China Council for the
Promotion of International Trade. After its arrival in Beijing on
Sunday, the delegation has called on China's Ministry of Commerce
and State Development and Reform Commission.
On Wednesday, the Japanese delegation will head to east China's
Anhui Province. They will end up their China tour on Friday after
traveling to Shanghai.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2006)
