Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Thursday held talks with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on bilateral relations and preparations and arrangements for Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming state visit to Japan.

During the talks, Yang said that as the year of 2008 marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty, China-Japan relations, standing on a new historic threshold, are faced with significant opportunities for further advance.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (left) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Masahiko Komura in Tokyo on Thursday, April 17, 2008.

China is willing to work with Japan to seize the opportunities, boost cooperation, expand exchanges and properly handle relevant issues in a concerted effort to continuously push bilateral relations to a new high, he added.

Yang said that as President Hu's visit is about to come, the Chinese side hopes that through the historic visit, the two nations will, from strategic and long-term perspective, jointly map out the future and achieve consensus in enhancing strategic mutual trust, advancing mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting communication and coordination on international and regional affairs in a bid to put bilateral ties on a stable, sound and long-term development track.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (left) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Masahiko Komura in Tokyo on Thursday, April 17, 2008.

Komura, for his part, said that the dialogue and exchanges in diplomatic, security and cultural areas as well as the friendly exchange program between the nations' youngsters have reaped marked fruit.

The Japanese side hopes that the two countries will maintain exchange of high-level visits and strengthen cooperation in such areas as environmental protection, energy conservation, agriculture and intellectual property, he added.

Komura said that President Hu's upcoming state visit is an important endeavor made to construct the strategic relations for mutual benefit and the visit will exert enormous influence on the future development of bilateral ties.

The Japanese side is looking forward to President Hu's visit and willing to cooperate closely with the Chinese side to ensure a successful visit, said the Japanese foreign minister.

Komura also wished the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games a success.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrived in Tokyo for a four- day visit earlier Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2008)