China will work with Japan to push forward strategic and reciprocal relations, said Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday.

"Sino-Japanese relations now are improving further," Hu told visiting former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone during a meeting.

Hu indicated that the leaders of the two countries have maintained frequent contacts, and cooperation in politics, trade, culture and defense have realized remarkable achievements. The two countries have also conducted close consultations on global issues like climate change and sustainable development.

"We thank the Japanese government for its adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan and Tibetan issues, and its support for the Beijing Olympic Games," Hu said.

He noted China and Japan are both important countries in Asia and the world, and developing the strategic and reciprocal relations conforms to the fundamental interest of the two countries and peoples, and is conducive to peace and stability in Asia and the world.

"The Chinese government attaches importance to relations with Japan, and sticks to the guideline of building a good-neighborly partnership with neighbors," he said.

Noting the importance of Japan-China ties, Nakasone said the two countries should face the future and build a long-term friendship on the basis of reflection on the history.

He hoped the two countries would take Hu's upcoming visit to Japan as an opportunity to open a new chapter in Japan-China relations.

Nakasone is here attending the Northeast Trilateral Forum at the invitation of Xinhua News Agency. Xinhua President Li Congjun and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi were present at Tuesday's meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2008)