Major progress has been made with a solution in view, Hu said, adding he is happy with the development. Both sides have decided to step up consultations so as to reach an agreement as early as possible, he said.

As for the dumpling poisoning case, Hu said China and Japan will continue investigations in an effort to find the truth at an early date.

China attaches great importance to food safety and the people's health, said the Chinese president, adding the departments concerned of the Chinese government have conducted serious and thorough investigations into the case and made timely exchange of views with the relevant Japanese departments.

The dumpling poisoning incident, which resulted in 10 people falling ill in Japan, came to light in late January. Investigators from both countries have worked together to find the cause.

Investigators have inspected the manufacturer, Tianyang Food Plant in China's Hebei Province, but have found nothing irregular.

Hu, among others, said officials from China's central government made contacts recently with private representatives of the Dalai Lama, and the next round of contact will be held at an appropriate time.

"Our attitude toward contact and consultation with the Dalai Lama is serious. We hope that the Dalai Lama side will take concrete actions to show its sincerity by genuinely stopping activities aimed at splitting the motherland, instigating violence and disrupting the Beijing Olympics so as to create conditions for further consultation," Hu said.

"We hope the contact will yield positive results," Hu added.

Fukuda spoke highly of the consensus between leaders of the two countries, vowing to make common efforts to promote the development of strategic and mutually beneficial ties between the two countries.

Wishing the Beijing Olympic Games a complete success, Fukuda said the Games is of great significance not only to China, but to the whole world.

President Hu arrived here on Tuesday for a five-day "warm-spring" state visit, the first trip by a Chinese president to Japan in a decade.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2008)