Tokyo (People's Daily) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe commends steady development of ties between China and Japan in a written interview with Chinese media ahead of his official visit to China from October 25 to 27.

Japan and China are responsible for regional and world peace and prosperity and that the two countries should proceed from the big picture to steadily develop their friendly and cooperative ties, said Abe, whose visit will mark the first time since 2011 a Japanese prime minister has visited China officially.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship and also the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. 

(Photo: AP)

Abe said the treaty marks the starting point for the bilateral relationship between Japan and China. He said he hopes to commemorate the anniversary together with the Chinese side during his visit and have frank exchanges with Chinese leaders on regional and world issues, in order to expand cooperation in all areas and facilitate greater development of bilateral ties.

China has achieved remarkable development during the past 40 years and has become the world's second largest economy, said Abe. Bilateral trade between China and Japan has reached around $300 billion and the economies of the two countries are inseparable, said Abe, adding that there is no doubt, China's economic development is a huge opportunity and shall be welcomed by both Japan and the world.

Meanwhile, Japan has a rich experience in dealing with issues such as environmental pollution and an aging population, which can provide reference for China's reform and opening-up, he said.

Abe said that it's of great significance to meet the strong infrastructural needs of Asia, the center of the world economic development, and he hoped that Japanese and Chinese private companies will cooperate to meet the booming infrastructure demands of Asia.

Regarding the global free trade system, Abe said it is of great significance to reinforce economic order based on free and fair trade rules under the current circumstances. Any tit-for-tat trade war will benefit no one.

As the largest beneficiaries of the free trade system, Japan and China should keep cooperating to reinforce multilateral free trade systems, such as the World Trade Organization, Abe said.

Japan and China, in building a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship, have the responsibility to properly deal with those issues and steadily develop their friendly and cooperative ties from the big picture, he noted. He also said that it's normal for the two countries, as neighbors, to have differences over some issues.

On the Taiwan-related issues, Abe reaffirmed Japan's adherence to its position stated in the 1972 Japan-China Joint Statement.

Abe also said that Japan and China share significant responsibility to contribute to the stability and prosperity of Asia and the world, and that the two countries shouldering the responsibility together is also a response to the expectations of the international community.

He said that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last November is a new starting point for Japan-China relations. Moreover, since Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Japan in May this year, bilateral relationship has been back on track.

Abe also said that his talks with President Xi in Vladivostok, Russia, in September and his scheduled visit to China this time means that the bilateral relationship is advancing steadily toward a new phase.

He hopes that the Japan-China relationship can be brought into a new era through frequent mutual visits by leaders of the two countries, Abe added.

(Compiled by Chi Jingyi)