Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said on Friday that a
strategic and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship shall be
based on reciprocal cooperation, international contributions as
well as mutual understanding and trust.
Japan had set a new phase of "strategic and mutually beneficial
relations" for improving ties during an "ice-breaking" trip to
China by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in October
2006.
In a very tight schedule of talks and meetings with China's top
leaders on Friday, Fukuda spared more than 40 minutes to speak at
Peking University, where he projected a warmer bilateral
relationship to 600-odd Chinese students with his sincerity and
humor.
When a Chinese girl majoring in Japanese asked him how to build
"strategic and mutually beneficial relations", Fukuda responded
agilely.
"You speak so good Japanese. You can go to Japan for further
studies, exchange ideas with Japanese girls and tell them of
women's status in China, such as women in China can still work
after marriage and giving birth to babies. Isn't it mutually
beneficial?" he replied.
He also called on the two countries to develop a "creative"
partnership during the speech.
"Japan and China shall become creative partners in building Asia
and the world's beautiful future," he said.
Fukuda told the students that the two countries would strengthen
cooperation in sectors such as energy saving, environmental
protection and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection.
He said Japan was willing to share with China both its
experience and lessons in environmental protection and suggested a
relevant information platform and a consultation center be set up
in China.
The two sides reached a series of cooperation agreements in
fields of youth exchange, climate change and energy research,
following 2.5 hours of talks between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Fukuda on Friday morning.
Japan would also help China to train 10,000 young people on
energy-saving and environmental protection technologies in three
years. In addition, about 50 young Chinese researchers on climate
change would be invited to visit Japan annually in the following
four years, according to the agreements.
In his speech, Fukuda also pointed out China's smooth
development was correlative with Japan's progress.
Japan would firmly support China's reform and opening-up drive.
This was not only in favor with its own future, but also a correct
choice having benefited Japan, Asia and the world, he said.
When talking about "international contributions", Fukuda
suggested the two countries further cooperated in anti-terrorism,
climate change, promotion of northeast Asia's peace and stability,
UN reform, Africa's development and poverty relief work.
Titled "building the future together", half of Fukuda's speech
advocated youth exchange.
"The younger generation, like you, is the hope of the future.
Tomorrow's China-Japan relations will also rely on you," Fukuda
said.
The number of people shuttling between Japan and China each day
had reached 13,000, and events such as the Beijing Olympics in 2008
were believed to provide more opportunities for bilateral
communications.
Dressed in a black suit with a blue tie, Fukuda was the second
Japanese prime minister to have delivered a speech at the
prestigious university in the past 23 years, following Yasuhiro
Nakasone in 1984.
"His humor and affability impressed me a lot," said Jiang Yang,
a Peking University sophomore. "I hope I can make my own efforts to
boost exchanges of youth between China and Japan."
(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2007)
