Lasting peace and friendship between China and Japan conform to the
fundamental interests of both countries and the growth of
Sino-Japanese good-neighborly relations contributes to regional and
global peace and development, President Jiang Zemin said in Beijing
on Sunday.
President Jiang made these remarks at a grand gathering in the
Great Hall of the People Sunday evening to mark the 30th
anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.
It
is the most important to adhere to "viewing history as a mirror and
looking forward to the future" while summing up the history of
Sino-Japanese exchanges and looking to the prospects of
Sino-Japanese friendship, Jiang said.
The two countries should all the more live in harmony in the 21st
century which is full of promises, and the lasting peace and
friendship conform to the fundamental interests of both China and
Japan, Jiang said.
The gathering was attended by more than 13,000 people across Japan
from various walks of life.
Led by former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, Japan's
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chikage Ogi,
TakeshiNoda, leader of Japanese New Conservative Party, Taku
Yamazaki, Fuyushiba Tetsuzo and Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-generals
of the three ruling parties in Japan, and more than 60 diet
members, the Japanese tourists came to China for sightseeing and
non-governmental exchanges organized by the National Tourism
Administration of China, in the biggest event ever held in the two
countries' histories.
China and Japan, as close neighbors separated only by a strip of
water, share deep historical and cultural traditions and broad
based common interests.
The two countries have had unfortunate experiences in modern times,
Jiang noted. The Japanese militarism's invasion of China have
brought the Chinese people untold sufferings and the people in
Japan too paid heavy prices for it.
The two countries had made noticeable progress in bilateral ties
since the normalization 30 years ago, marked the exchange of
personnel and economic and cultural cooperation on an unprecedented
scale, as well as important consensus and guiding principles shaped
politically, he said.
Jiang went on to say that the growth of Sino-Japanese
good-neighborly relations has not only brought great benefits to
both sides, but also contributed to regional and even global peace
and development.
It
is the most important to adhere to "viewing history as a mirror and
looking forward to the future" while summing up the history of
Sino-Japanese exchanges and looking to the prospects of
Sino-Japanese friendship, Jiang said.
"Taking history as a mirror" is meant to conscientiously draw on
historical lessons and keep onto the road of Sino-Japanese
friendship, he said, adding that "lessons learned from the past can
serve as a guide for the future."
"Facing to the future" is meant to take into account the overall
situation of Sino-Japanese friendship and focus on the reality to
advance Sino-Japanese relations.
Noting that the Chinese government and people sincerely hope to
develop long-term, steady good-neighborly relations with Japan, he
said statesmen, particularly leaders of both countries, should give
scope to their due guiding role from the height of history,
consistently steering the orientation of bilateral friendship.
The two countries should increase their trust and cooperation under
the guidance of Sino-Japanese Joint Statement and two other
political documents for the good of the people of the two countries
as well as peace and development in the region and the rest of the
world, he said.
Speaking highly of the irreplaceable role of non-governmental
friendly ties in Sino-Japanese relations, Jiang said the people
would never forget old friends who had been dedicated to
Sino-Japanese friendship, while encouraging more new friends, to
join in the ranks of Sino-Japanese friendship.
The two governments and insightful personages from various walks of
life in both countries should continue to create conditions and
vigorously advance and support the friendly exchanges of people of
both countries, particularly the younger generation.
Prior to the gathering, President Jiang Zemin and Vice-President Hu
Jintao met with leading figures on the Japanese delegation,
including Hashimoto and Ogi, and had a picture taken with them.
In
the new century, the importance of Sino-Japanese relations had not
been lowered but enhanced steadily, interdependence of the two
countries kept strengthening instead of being weakened, and their
common interests have expanded instead of being lessened, Jiang
acknowledged.
"Only if China and Japan enjoy friendship through the generations,
can they share a bright future," Jiang said. "This complies with
the fundamental interests of both sides."
Ryutaro Hashimoto said Japan attached great importance to the
commemorative activities. In term of the current China trip's scale
and the number of parliamentarians involved, he noted, this event
ranks the first in Japanese history.
Personages from various Japanese circles are resolved to make still
greater efforts for the overall development of bilateral ties in
the new century, he said.
President Jiang met with more than 5,000 Japanese guests in the
Banquet Hall of the Great Hall of the People. He kept waving to
them in acknowledgment and had cordial handshakes time and again
with some of these Japanese friends amid enthusiastic applause.
Afterwards, together with Japanese guests, Vice-Premier Qian Qichen
and other Chinese leading officials viewed a range of theatrical
items performed by Chinese and Japanese artists.
The event was hosted by the National Tourism Administration. It
followed a visit to Japan by a delegation of 5,000 people from
China in May this year.
(Xinhua News
Agency September 23, 2002)