BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday urged Japan to adhere to a policy of peaceful development during his meeting with Shotaro Yachi, head of Japan’s National Security Council.
Yachi is visiting Beijing from Thursday to Saturday for the first China-Japan high-level political dialogue.
Japan’s ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday rammed through a series of controversial security bills in the powerful lower house of the Diet.
The bills will enable Japan’s self-defense forces (SDF) to engage in armed conflict overseas and help defend others even if Japan is not attacked.
Li said Japan should continue to adhere to a policy of peaceful development and play its due role in regional peace, stability and development.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, said Li, adding that China-Japan relations are faced with both challenges and opportunities.
Bilateral relations had experienced difficulties and setbacks in the past few years, he said.
Although both sides have a desire to improve bilateral ties, the relations still face prominent sensitivity and complexity, he added.
The relationship between China and Japan not only bears on the well-being of the two nations, but also has important influence on regional peace, stability and prosperity, said Li.
He hoped that Japan will focus on the big picture, keep its commitments on historical issues, treat seriously the concerns of the victimized countries in Asia and properly handle relevant issues with a responsible attitude.
Li called on China and Japan to strengthen all-round exchanges, enhance the friendly sentiments between the two peoples, so as to lay a foundation for the long-term development of bilateral ties.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to ties with Japan, he said, adding that China is willing to work with Japan to bring their relations onto the track of normal development by enhancing mutual understanding, properly dealing with divergence and boosting exchanges and cooperation.
China is ready to push forward bilateral strategic relations of mutual benefit with Japan on the basis of the four political documents, in a spirit of drawing lessons from history and facing up to the future, he added.
Li said China sticks to the path of peaceful development and is committed to developing friendly cooperation with other countries in the region and the world.
China’s development aims to create a better life for its 1.3 billion people, he said.
He said China strives for a peaceful international environment and a stable surrounding for its own development, and makes effort to safeguard peace, stability and development of the region and the world as well.
Yachi, for his part, said the first high-level political dialogue between the two countries had made progress.
He agreed with Li that there are both opportunities and problems existing in bilateral ties.
It is significantly important for both sides to enhance exchanges in politics, economy and culture, so as to increase mutual understanding, he said.
He said Japan will adhere to the path of peaceful development and is willing to proceed from the overall interest of bilateral ties to face up to historical issues, maintain dialogue with China, and properly handle the differences, in a bid to advance the ties.