Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Japanese Prime Minister and President of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on May 29, 2024. Photo from web

Maintaining stability of the Taiwan Straits is in the common interest of both China and Japan, said Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, when meeting with Japanese Prime Minister and President of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Wednesday. The two sides also expressed willingness to enhance political party exchanges.

Kishida, welcoming Liu and the CPC delegation, said Japan is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with China, and the two sides should fully utilize various mechanisms to engage in dialogues on unresolved issues, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and strive to achieve concrete progress.

Recently, China-Japan relations have been developing in a stable overall direction, but challenges remain, Liu said. He noted that both sides should jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges at all levels, and strive to establish an objective and accurate mutual understanding. 

"Japan should adhere to the one-China principle, effectively safeguard the political foundation of the ties, and properly handle sensitive issues such as the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea," said the senior CPC official. 

The CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with political parties in Japan to promote bilateral relations, Liu told Kishida. 

Political party exchanges play a very important role in the development of Japan-China relations, the Japanese Prime Minister said, noting that Liu's visit has provided an important opportunity to enhance political party exchanges between the two sides. In addition, Japan is willing to engage in dialogue with China on global issues. 

Liu's visit to Japan, his first since taking up the current post in 2022, comes after the two-day ninth Trilateral Summit Meeting among China, Japan and South Korea, which was held from Sunday. 

The summit meeting was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japan's Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The three leaders agreed to resume talks on a three-way free trade agreement, which were suspended in November 2019 following 16 rounds of official negotiations after they began in 2012.

Analysts said through the summit, the three major economies in East Asia are trying to resume the trilateral cooperation across issues related to the economy, trade and cultural exchanges where they share broad common interests and similarities, while lay aside the difference in other tough topics including historical and sovereignty issues, as well as ideological differences.

However, Japan has been stirring up trouble on a number of issues concerning China's core interests, including on the Taiwan question. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on May 23 slammed Japan repeatedly makes negative moves on the Taiwan question, while warning the Japanese side not to connive at or support "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in any form. Japan should seek to safeguard cross-Strait peace and stability, rather than doing the opposite, Wang said. 

Global Times