Japanese Ambassador to China Tanino Sakutano said Friday that China's Premier Zhu Rongji's upcoming visit to Japan is significant to the development of bilateral relations in the new century.

Sakutano said that the Japanese side expects that during the premier's visit to Japan, the two sides will further Japan-China relations in the 21st century.

Keeping a friendly and cooperative relations between Japan and China in the 21st century is the "duty and responsibility" of the two countries, and it will be good for the peace and stability of the Asian-Pacific region and the whole world as well, said the ambassador.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Japan in 1998. The two sides signed agreements on 33 cooperative projects covering politics, economy and trade, science and technology, culture, education, globalization and regional issues. Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi visited China last year.

Sakutano said he expects the two sides will discuss the further implementation of the 33 projects during Zhu's visit to Japan, which will begin October 12. The two sides will also exchanged views on various issues of common concern, he said.

Since the normalization of Japan-China relations nearly 30 years ago, the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have grown "better than expected." Sakutano said, citing the growing trade figures over the past several years.

Two-way trade volume hit a record of 66.2 billion US dollars last year. China is now the second largest trade partner of Japan after the US and Japan is now the biggest trading partner of China. In the first half of the year, bilateral trade grew 30 percent.

"An important reason for the growing trade is that the two economies are highly complimentary," the Ambassador said, adding that the trade will possibly grow even higher after China becomes a full member of the WTO.

A stable and growing China is extremely important to the peace and stability of the Asian-Pacific region and world as well, and that is why Japan has offered support to China's reform and opening drive over the past decades, he said.

Since 1979, Japan has offered loans and other financial assistance of up to 200 billion yuan to China, helping the country construct railways, highways, ports, air terminals, relieve poverty, protect the environment and improve health care facilities.

"Relations between Japan and China in the 21st century, I believe, will be one based on solid mutual trust, and for the peace and prosperity of the whole world," stressed the ambassador.

(09/30/2000)