Beijing urged Tokyo to “implement positive policies toward China” and properly tackle “major sensitive issues” regarding history, the military and defense, when State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Japan’s National Security Advisor Shotaro Yachi co-chaired the second China-Japan High-Level Political Dialogue in Tokyo.

The two sides said they will use high-level political channels and continue to play positive roles in boosting the improvement of a bilateral relationship.

Yang noted that the relationship is “generally developing in the direction of improvement”, and said China is “willing to maintain dialogue and contacts with the Japanese side”.

China is ready to boost the improvement and development of the China-Japan relationship in the spirit of “taking the history as lessons and looking to the future” and on the basis of the four important China-Japan political documents.

Yang and Yachi met last November in Beijing and the two governments released a four point principled agreement on improving the relationship.

On Oct 13, Yang said Japan is expected to “honor its commitment, implement positive policy toward China, meet China half way, tangibly implement the four-point consensus and properly tackle major sensitive issues”.

“Also, China is ready to work with the Japanese, press ahead with bilateral economic and trade cooperation, explore new areas of cooperation and further strengthen bilateral friendly exchanges in the cultural field,” Yang said.

Yachi said Tokyo speaks positively of the fact that the relationship is improving and bilateral exchanges are being resumed between political parties, parliamentary and business circles.

Yachi said Japan “will uphold the four-point principled consensus and continue to take the path of peaceful development”.

Tokyo is also ready to reinforce dialogue and coordination, expand exchanges, increase political mutual trust and people-to-people friendship, and maintain the momentum of the improving relationship, Yachi said.

The two also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.