China's Xi Stresses Importance of Ties with Japan

Beijing, May 23 (Jiji Press)--Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday that the country's basic stance of attaching importance to the development of its ties with Japan remains unchanged. He made the remark at a reception for a Japanese mission, including ruling party official Toshihiro Nikai, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, stressing his intention to improve the bilateral relations that remain strained due partly to history issues. It is the first time since the Xi regime was effectively launched in November 2012 that the Chinese leader has strongly demonstrated the importance of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. It is necessary to strengthen private-sector exchanges when the bilateral relationship is not steadily developing, he said, calling for exchanges between young people of the two countries. Meanwhile, Xi said that China will never tolerate any words or actions that distort and glorify Japan's history of aggression under its past imperialism, apparently having in mind Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's view of history. Xi therefore warned against Abe's negative stance on using the phrase "heartfelt apology" in a statement he plans to issue in summer to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. In a statement issued in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, then Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama offered his "heartfelt apology" for the suffering Japan inflicted on the people of other nations, mainly in Asia, through its colonial rule and aggression. The words were used again in a 2005 statement by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the 60th anniversary. Nikai, chairman of the General Council of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said at the reception that the Japan-China relations have been propped up by deep ties between private-sector people of the two countries that are not shaken by the political situation. Japan hopes to build a new era for the two nations by receiving support from Xi and other people in China. During the reception, Nikai handed Xi a letter from Abe. Later, Nikai and Xi left the reception and had talks for about 10 minutes. Xi noted that he and Abe held a bilateral summit twice, in Beijing in November 2014 and in Jakarta last month, according to Nikai. Xi also said that the two sides are in agreement to promote their mutually beneficial strategic partnership, adding that Japan and China will see good results if they continue to push ahead with the policy. Xi also asked Nikai to give his regards to Abe. The reception was attended by about 3,000 people, including Japanese tourism industry officials who accompanied Nikai on his China trip. END