BEIJING — China and Japan should protect the political foundation of bilateral relations and restore the normal development of their relationship at an early date, Vice-Premier Liu Yandong said on July 12.

Liu made the remarks when meeting with a delegation of female lawmakers from Japan, headed by senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Seiko Noda.

China-Japan relations stand at a crucial historical point as the two countries celebrate the 45th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations, and next year sees the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Liu said.

Liu called on both sides to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during the G20 summit in Hamburg, protect the political foundation of bilateral ties and deal with sensitive issues properly.

Both sides should steadily push forward exchanges and cooperation in various areas, Liu said.

Noda said Japan will make efforts to enhance mutual understanding and trust and is committed to building a stable Japan-China relationship.