China Perspective

Sino-Japan line relinks top leaders

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-15 07:27

Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan talked by telephone on Sunday, marking the official activation of the China-Japan prime ministerial hotline, the Foreign Ministry said.

A pledge to re-establish a hotline between the two offices was made during talks between Wen and former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama during Wen's visit to Tokyo in late May.

Wen invited Kan to visit China at a time of his convenience, and Kan accepted the invitation with pleasure.

The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula, but no further details were released.

Wen congratulated Kan for his accession to the prime ministerial post, and also conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's greetings to him. Kan was designated as Prime Minister on June 4, after Hatoyama resigned amid a row over a US army base on the island of Okinawa.

"During my recent visit to Japan, I was warmly received by the Japanese government and people. We have reached consensus on a series of major issues, further clarifying the direction and missions of bilateral relations," said Wen.