Li Keqiang and Shinzo Abe exchange messages as relations continue to thaw
China and Japan exchanged congratulatory messages on Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of their peace and friendship treaty, amid thawing relations between the two countries.
Analysts said while Japan would remain a staunch ally of the United States, despite Washington’s aggressive trade policies, Beijing and Tokyo could strengthen regional economic cooperation.
In his message, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing was willing to work with Tokyo for the long-term, healthy and stable development of bilateral ties, Xinhua reported.
Li also said China wanted to work with Japan to safeguard the political foundation of their bilateral relationship, deepen cooperation for mutual benefit, properly handle differences and promote the development of ties in the spirit of “taking the past as a mirror and looking forward to the future”, according to the official news agency.
Highlighting Li’s visit to Japan in May – his first since becoming premier in 2013 – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in his message he was “very pleased to have Japan-China relations return to a normal path”, Kyodo news agency reported. He added that both Japan and China had important duties for regional and world peace and prosperity.
Both Li and Abe also said they were looking forward to a meeting to be held in China by the end of the year, although a date has yet to be set. When he met Li in Tokyo in May, Abe said he wanted to visit China and invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to Japan.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi also exchanged similar messages to mark the occasion.
