Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said Saturday that China hopes that Japan will carry out the agreement reached by leaders of the two countries in Jakarta last month.

Tang told Yamazaki Taku, visiting assistant to the Japanese Prime Minister, that in order to maintain Sino-Japanese friendship and stability in Asia, Chinese President Hu Jintao made a five-point proposal when he met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the sidelines of the Asian-African summit.

"The proposal nails down the direction of the joint efforts from both sides as well as the principles that should be followed. It has profound practical and historic significance." Tang said.
 
He said he hopes the two sides can make concerted efforts to push Sino-Japanese relations back to the normal development track.

Tang also expounded on China's stance on history and the Taiwan issue.

Yamazaki Taku said Japan attaches great importance to the five-point proposal.

"Japan will settle the existing problems of the bilateral ties based on the three cornerstone political documents between Japan and China and continue to push forward Japan-China relations," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2005)