Vice-Premier Liu He met with Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso on Aug 30. Aso is in Beijing to attend the seventh China-Japan Finance Ministers’ Dialogue.

Liu noted China-Japan relations are very important, and the two sides should promote long-term, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations in accordance with the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

Unilateralism and trade protectionism will hurt world development and people’s well-being, and the two sides should jointly uphold the rules of free trade and the multilateral trading system, he added.

Aso said Japan is willing to take the 40th anniversary of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship as an opportunity to promote the development of bilateral relations.

Trade protectionism does no good to any country, and all trade measures should conform to WTO rules, he added.