Friendship between China and Japan is in the common interests of both sides and conducive to peace and development of Asia and the world, top legislator Wu Bangguo said in Beijing Sunday.  

Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said the practice of developing Sino-Japanese relations proved that it took tremendous hard work to achieve the current friendly state of bilateral relations, which should be very much cherished by both countries.

Wu made the remarks during a meeting with Masahiko Komura, president of the Association of Dietmen League for Japan-China Friendship from Japan.

Wu said abiding by the three political documents including the China-Japan Joint Statement constitute the political basis for development of Sino-Japanese relations.

He said bilateral relations are faced with certain difficulties at present, which the Chinese side does not want to see.

However, he pointed out that the fundamental cause of this difficult situation of bilateral relations lies in the Japanese side, who repeatedly hurt the feelings of the Chinese people on such issues as history and Taiwan.

Wu emphasized that the heads of state of the countries and people with far vision should proceed from a long-term, strategic height to grasp the general situation of bilateral relations.

He said the two sides should earnestly implement the five propositions that Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward on improving and developing Sino-Japanese relations. He also said the two sides should stick to the guideline of taking history as a mirror and looking to the future, properly handle the issues of history and Taiwan, so as to push bilateral relations back to the normal track of development.

Wu expressed the wish that the Association of Dietmen League for Japan-China Friendship would carry on the tradition of Sino-Japanese friendship and continue to play an active role in improving bilateral relations.

Komura said Japan-China relations are very important for both sides and indispensable for peace, stability and development of the Northeast Asian region and the world.

Expressing anxiety over the current situation of Japan-China relations, Komura said the two sides have to strengthen exchanges and enhance mutual understanding and trust in order to revert this situation.

Komura said the Japanese side is willing to join effort with the Chinese side to further expand economic cooperation and reinforce the foundation of bilateral relations. He said the Japanese side is ready to continue the efforts to properly resolve the problems emerging in the process of developing Japan-China relations.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2005)