President Hu Jintao, left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda after they signed a joint statement in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, May 7, 2008. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China paid a state visit to Japan from May 6 to 10 at the invitation of the Japanese Government. During the visit, President Hu Jintao met with Emperor Akihito and held talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. They reached broad agreement on promoting China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit in an all-round way. The two sides issued the following joint statement:

1. The two sides agreed that China-Japan relations are one of the most important bilateral relations for both countries. The two countries have major influence on and shoulder solemn responsibility for peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. Pursuing long-term peace, friendship and cooperation is the only choice for the two sides. The two sides are determined to advance China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit in an all-round way so as to realize the lofty goal that the two countries live together in peace, enjoy lasting friendship, and carry out cooperation of mutual benefit for common development.

2. The two sides reiterated that the China-Japan Joint Statement issued on September 29, 1972, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed on August 12, 1978, and the China-Japan Joint Declaration released on November 26, 1998 constitute the political basis for stable growth and bright future of China-Japan relations. The two sides reaffirmed that they will continue to abide by the principles established in the three documents and uphold and comprehensively implement the agreements reached in the China-Japan Joint Press Communiqués released on October 8, 2006 and April 11, 2007 respectively.

3. The two sides are determined to face history, be forward-looking, and continue to open up new prospect in the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit. The two sides will continue to enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust and expand mutually beneficial cooperation to ensure that the growth of China-Japan relations conforms to the development trend of the world, and work together to create a bright future for the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

4. The two sides reaffirmed that the two countries are cooperation partners and not threats to each other. The two sides reaffirmed their mutual support to each other's peaceful development. The two sides are convinced that China and Japan, both upholding peaceful development, will bring huge opportunities and benefits to Asia and the world.

Japan applauds the great opportunities that China's growth since reform and opening-up has brought to Japan and the international community. Japan supports China's readiness to contribute to building a world of lasting peace and common prosperity.

China takes a positive view of Japan pursuing a path of a nation striving for peace and making contribution to world peace and stability through peaceful means over the past sixty years since the end of World War II. The two sides agreed to enhance dialogue and consultation on UN reform and strive to increase common understanding. China values Japan's status and role in the UN and is ready to see Japan playing a bigger and constructive role in international affairs.

The two sides are committed to resolving bilateral issues through consultation and negotiation.

5. The Japanese side reiterated that it will continue to abide by its position on the Taiwan issue stated in the Japan-China Joint Statement.

6. The two sides decided to set up framework for dialogue and cooperation and conduct cooperation in the following five fields.

(1) Enhance political mutual trust

The two sides reaffirmed that enhancing mutual political and security trust is important to growing China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit. The two sides agreed on the following:

Establish a mechanism of regular exchange of visits between leaders of the two countries. The two sides will, in principle, have annual summit that will alternate between Beijing and Tokyo, and the leaders will have frequent meetings on multilateral occasions. A mechanism of exchanges and strategic dialogues between governments, parliaments, and political parties of the two countries will be set up to strengthen consultation on bilateral relations, respective domestic and foreign policies and the international situation with a view to enhancing policy transparency.

Increase exchange of high-level visits in the security field, promote multi-level dialogues and exchanges, and deepen mutual understanding and trust;

Conduct close cooperation to better appreciate and pursue basic and universal values recognized by the international community, and promote the understanding of the culture jointly nurtured and owned during years of exchanges.

(2) Promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges to enhance friendship between the two peoples

The two sides affirmed that increasing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially between the young people, is conducive to consolidating the foundation of China-Japan generational friendship and cooperation. To this end, the two sides made the following decisions:

Carry out extensive exchanges between the media, twin cities, sports and non-governmental groups of the two countries, and promote diversified cultural and academic exchanges;

Make sustained efforts to carry out youth exchanges.

(3) Enhance mutually beneficial cooperation

The two sides affirmed that as countries with major influence on the world economy, China and Japan will contribute to the sustainable growth of the world economy, and decided to focus cooperation in the following fields:

Give priority to cooperation in the energy and environment fields as it is recognized as our obligation towards our future generations and the international community.

Carrying mutually beneficial cooperation in a broad range of areas including trade, investment, information and communication technology, finance, food and product safety, IPR protection, business environment, agriculture, forestry and aquaticulture, transport and tourism, water resources, and medical and health care in an effort to expand common interests.

Make good use of China-Japan high-level economic dialogue from the strategic height.

Work together to make the East China Sea a sea of peace, cooperation, and friendship.

(4) Work together for the development of the Asia Pacific region

The two sides affirmed that as important countries in the Asia Pacific region, China and Japan will maintain close contacts on regional affairs and strengthen coordination and cooperation. The two sides decided to focus their cooperation in the following fields:

Work together to uphold peace and stability in Northeast Asia and push forward the Six-Party Talks. The two sides agreed that the normalization of relations between Japan and the DPRK was of great importance to peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The Chinese side welcomes and supports the efforts of Japan and the DPRK to resolve relevant issues for the normalization of bilateral relations.

Promote Northeast Asia regional cooperation in the principle of openness, transparency and inclusiveness, and work together to build a peaceful, prosperous, stable and open Asia.

(5) Work jointly to address global issues

The two sides affirmed that China and Japan shoulder greater responsibility for peace and development of the world in the 21st century, and are ready to strengthen coordination on major international issues and work jointly for a world of durable peace and common prosperity. The two sides decided to carry out cooperation in the following fields:

The two sides will actively participate in the formulation of an international framework that will effectively tackle climate change in the post-2012 period under the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" and the Bali Road Map.

Recognizing that energy security, environmental protection, poverty, communicable diseases and other global issues are common challenges for both sides, the two sides will carry out effective cooperation with a strategic perspective, and jointly make due contribution to addressing the aforementioned issues.

Treaties between China and Japan