TOKYO — State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on May 31, calling for taking the opportunities of anniversaries of bilateral ties and accumulating positive energy to enhance the Sino-Japanese relationship.

Yang said that the improvement and development of Sino-Japanese relationship is important for the well-being of the people of both countries as well as peace, stability and prosperity of the region.

He said that President Xi Jinping has recently given important guiding opinions on Sino-Japanese relationship when meeting with Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who was in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation recently.

China attaches importance to its relationship with Japan, and is willing to, together with Japan, take the opportunities of the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties this year and the 40th anniversary of the signing of China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship next year to develop bilateral relations, based on the four political documents and the four-point agreement between the two countries, upholding the spirit of taking history as a mirror while looking forward to the future, Yang said.

He also urged the Japanese side to honor its words on improving bilateral relations and implement the consensus that the two countries are each other’s cooperative partner rather than threats with specific policies and concrete actions.

Yang stressed that the two countries should make joint efforts to enhance positive factors and eliminate negative ones in bilateral relations, and safeguard the momentum of improvement and development of the Sino-Japanese relationship.

He said that properly handling important and sensitive issues that bear impact on the political foundation of the Sino-Japanese relations, including Taiwan and the historical issues, is vital for the stable and further development of bilateral relations.

He called on the two sides to maintain dialogue and communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and accumulate more positive energy for bilateral relations.

Abe, for his part, said that Japan looks forward to further improving and developing its relationship with China by taking the opportunities of the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic ties this year and the 40th anniversary of the signing of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship next year.

He said that Japan hopes to enhance exchanges at all levels with China, promote friendship between the two peoples, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and improve communication and coordination with China on international and regional affairs.

Regarding the Taiwan issue, he said that Japan will continue to abide by the principles established in the 1972 Japan-China joint communique that normalized bilateral ties and this stance has not changed.

During the meeting, Yang also reiterated China’s stance and proposition on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Yang visited Japan on invitation from May 29 to May 31. During his stay, he co-chaired the fourth round of high-level political dialogue between China and Japan with Japanese national security advisor Shotaro Yachi.

Yang also met with Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, New Komeito Party President Natsuo Yamaguchi, Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai, former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yohei Kono as well as friendly personnel from economic and other sectors of the Japanese society.