Japanese business leaders meet Chinese Vice President Xi+

TOKYO, Dec. 15 Kyodo -
The head of Japan's most influential business lobby and other executives met
Tuesday with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to discuss the economic
outlook and new areas of cooperation in energy and the environment.
Xi said the Chinese government ''strongly emphasizes the relationship with
Japan,'' indicating that bilateral ties are strengthening under the new Cabinet
led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who has called for more Asia-centered
policies.
''The current foundation of China's economic recovery is not yet robust,'' Xi
said at the outset of a breakfast meeting in Tokyo with Fujio Mitarai, chairman
of the Japan Business Federation, which is also known as Nippon Keidanren, and
other business leaders.
''Next year, China will continue to implement an aggressive fiscal policy and
an appropriately relaxed currency policy,'' said Xi, seen as the front-runner
to succeed President Hu Jintao.
Concerning Japan's economic condition, Mitarai, also chairman of Canon Inc.,
said, ''We have not yet entered a recovery, but we are beginning to rise off
the bottom.''
On future economic ties between the two countries, Xi called for expansion of
bilateral trade, enhanced cooperation in energy-saving, climate, and high-tech
technologies, and trade liberalization between Japan, China and South Korea.
Mitarai, in turn, asked Xi to explain China's economic and environment
policies, saying China's policies on climate and global warming are gathering
worldwide attention.
''We have reached a point where we cannot talk about business without talking
about China,'' Mitarai said.
==Kyodo