Hu: Dialogue needed for difficult ties
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-05-22 21:25

Chinese President Hu Jintao met with the secretaries-general of Japan's two ruling parties in Beijing on Sunday, calling on the two countries to work for long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

Strengthening dialogue and communication between ruling parties of the two countries has a positive impact on improving and promoting China-Japan relations when the two countries are facing difficulties in their relations, Hu stressed during the meeting with Takebe Tsutomu of the Liberal Democratic Party and Fuyushiba Tetsuzo of the Komei Party.

Hu, also serves as general secretary of the Central Community of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said "both the CPC and the Chinese government attach great importance to China-Japan relations and sincerely hope that the two countries can coexist peacefully, be friends from generation to generation and conduct mutually-beneficial cooperation for common development".

"China-Japan relations can progress healthily and steadily in the long run as long as the two countries handle their relations from a strategic and long-term point of view, strictly abide by the principles and spirit of the three Sino-Japanese political documents, including the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, adhere to the principle of taking history as a mirror and looking into the future, properly handle the issues concerning history and Taiwan, solve differences through dialogue and consultation, expand the mutually-beneficial cooperation in all fields, and continue to strengthen the political, economic and social foundations of bilateral relations," said Hu.

Takebe Tsutomu said that the old-generation leaders of the two countries had made unswervingly efforts for developing the friendship between Japan and China since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1972.

He said the principle President Hu has put forward for developing bilateral ties is of great strategic significance and can serve as a guide, and the Japanese side should study it seriously.

The Japanese government should strictly abide by the three Sino-Japanese political documents, adhere to the one-China stance,seriously review the history of Japan's aggression against China and take actions to push forward the normal progress of bilateral relations, he said.

The healthy development of Japan-China relations will not only benefit the two nations, but also help maintain peace and stability in Asia and the world at large, he said.

Fuyushiba Tetsuzo said Japan and China have a long history of friendly exchanges. Japan's aggression against China has caused great harm to the Chinese people, and it is a fact that cannot bedenied, he said.

"We should take that part of history seriously, draw lessons from it, and prevent the historical tragedy from being repeated," he said.