Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji met in Beijing Tuesday with a group of young members of the Japanese House of Representatives led by Ichiro Aisawa, deputy director of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Zhu said that he was delighted to meet the young members of the House before his visit to Japan. Most of the Japanese guests come from the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management.

Zhu said that Sino-Japanese ties are developing well, adding that the relationship has further developed since Chinese President Jiang Zemin's last visit to Japan.

Although some problems exist in bilateral relations, Zhu said, the overall relationship is good.

Zhu stressed that the two countries must further the mutual understanding in order to promote mutual trust.

Without strengthened mutual understanding and mutual trust, the Sino-Japanese friendship cannot be further enhanced, Zhu said. China and Japan must be friends for generations to come, Zhu said, adding that the task is primarily on the younger generations of the two countries.

Ichiro Aisawa said that only through strengthening mutual understanding and trust can bilateral relations enter a new era.

He noted that the visiting young members of the House are all willing to make a contribution to the development of the Japan-China friendship.

Zhu also answered questions by the guests on Sino-Japanese relations and on the prospect of China's politics and economy.

The Japanese guests are in Beijing at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.

The Matsushita Institute, initiated by Matsushita Onosuke, the founder of the Matsushita Company, trains young Japanese statesmen and entrepreneurs.

(Xinhua 09/13/2000)