Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech in the Japanese Diet (parliament) on Thursday, the first by a Chinese leader in 22 years.

In his speech on Sino-Japanese friendship and cooperation, Premier Wen said his current visit to Japan is aimed at learning the latest developments of Japan and to push forward Sino-Japanese relations to a new historic stage and realizing the goal of "peaceful coexistence, friendship for generations, mutually-beneficial cooperation and common development".

"If Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe's visit to China last October can be described as an ice breaker, then I hope my visit to Japan will be an ice thawer. I came to Japan for friendship and cooperation, " Wen told the Japanese lawmakers.

Wen said that the Chinese and Japanese leaders have reached consensus on forging strategically reciprocal relations between the two nations.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2007)