Senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Li Keqiang on Wednesday voiced his hope to enhance the party-to-party exchange between China and Japan to contribute to the relationship between the two countries.

He told Katsuya Okada, the visiting vice president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), that bilateral relations were facing a new opportunity for further development as this year marked the 30th anniversary of Sino-Japanese Treaty for Peace and Friendship.

Recalling Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Japan in May and his attendance at the G8 summit this month, Li, also a vice premier, said both China and Japan should earnestly push forward the strategic and mutually-reciprocal relations.

On the domestic situation, Li said China implemented a scientific outlook on development, maintained sustainable development, redoubled its efforts in saving resources and protecting environment and improved economic restructuring so the national economy could have a good and rapid development.

Li expressed his gratitude for the assistance of Japan for the May 12 massive earthquake in the southwest Sichuan Province.

Okada said the DPJ was pleased to see the improvement of Japan-China ties, and would make continuous effort to push forward friendship between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2008)