Hu, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with visiting former secretary-general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party Hiromu Nonaka and his party.

Hu said it is vital to the healthy development of the Sino-Japanese relations that politicians of both countries exchange views on the two countries' relations and other issues of common concern sincerely and frequently.

Although the ties between the two countries experienced an unfortunate period in the 20th century, the Sino-Japanese relationship has made considerable progress since it was normalized nearly 30 years ago because of joint efforts made by leaders and people of insight of the two countries, Hu said, noting that the hard-won results should be extraordinarily cherished.

Hu pointed out that the CPC and the Chinese government have attached great importance to the Sino-Japanese relations.

In the new century, both sides should handle the bilateral relations with strategic and historic perspectives by adhering to the spirit of learning from history and looking forward to the future, and principles fixed in the China-Japan Joint Statement, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and the China-Japan Joint Declaration, Hu said.

Efforts must be made to get rid of any obstruction and to overcome obstacles to promote good-neighborly friendship and mutual-beneficial cooperation between China and Japan, he added.

Hu also spoke highly on Japanese friends including Nonaka, who have made positive contributions to the development of Sino- Japanese friendship for a long period.

He expressed the hope that parties and politicians of the two countries will make new contributions to a healthy, long-lasting and steady development of the bilateral relations.

Nonaka said the friendly relationship of mutual trust between Japan and China was really hard-won and politicians of the old generation of the two countries have played positive roles.

The young generation of the two countries' politicians should shoulder the responsibility in furthering the healthy development of the Japan-China relations, said Nonaka, whose party included several young political leaders.

Young people should inherit the traditions, safeguard and facilitate mutual trust between the two countries so that Japan and China will maintain the friendship from generation to generation, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency 08/06/2001)