China makes requirements on improving China-Japan ties

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida's three-day visit in Beijing is the first such visit in four-and-a-half years. The Japanese Foreign Minister met with Premier Li Keqiang, Chinese state Councillor Yang Jiechi, as well as his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday, where talks were held in hopes of warming the bilateral relations.

Reducing tensions and improving ties. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday.

BEIJING, April 30, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida in Beijing, capital of China, April 30, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Premier Li said the China-Japan relationship is recovering but its basis remain very fragile, the both sides should improve political mutual trust to push the develpment of bilateral ties back to the normal track.

The Japanese Foreign Minister expressed appreciation to China's economic structural reform and said Japan will develop mutual respect, mutual trust with China and manage disparities.

And that Japan is willing to to strengthen cooperation with China in all sectors.

Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi also met with Kishida earlier in the day, where Yang stressed that the two sides are cooperating partners, and greater efforts should be made to improve the ties.

And on Saturday morning, during the talks held between the two Foreign Ministers, Kishida expressed his hopes for more exchanges between the two nations.

"We are important neighbours. For a long time visits between the foreign ministers of China and Japan have been not been taking place and this is not desirable. I would like to be able to bring the relationship back into one in which the ministers of the two countries can visit frequently," Fumio Kishida said.

The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is also willing to develop a healthy and stable relationship with Japan, which must be built on the foundation of the right attitude toward history.

"China-Japan relations went through twists and turns in recent years, due to reasons best known by Japan. We have seen the Japanese side repeatedly expressing its hope of improving the bilateral relationship over recent period of time. You have also shown your willingness to take the first step. If you come with sincerity we welcome you," Wang Yi said.

Wang said he also hopes to see sincere efforts, rather than just words.