BEIJING — Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida held talks in Beijing on April 30.

During the opening remarks, Wang stressed that China-Japan ties must be based on respect for history, adherence to commitment, and on cooperation rather than confrontation.

China and Japan are neighbors, Wang said, stressing that China is willing to develop a healthy and stable relationship with Japan.

“We hope that your visit will play a positive role in actual improvement of China-Japan ties,” said Wang.

The China-Japan relations went through twists and turns in recent years, due to reasons best known by Japan, according to Wang.

Wang said he is ready to listen to Kishida’s opinion about how to improve bilateral relations, and equally important is whether Japan will turn its words into deeds.

Wang expressed sympathy to Japan over the deadly earthquakes in mid-April.

Kishida is paying an official visit to China from April 29 to May 1, the first by Kishida since he took office over three years ago and a Japanese foreign minister in four-and-a-half years.