China is willing to create sound conditions for Japanese firms to invest in China, Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said at the ongoing first China-Japan high-level economic dialogue held in Beijing on Saturday.

 

According to Zeng, four major problems exist in Sino-Japanese economic ties: a slowdown in the growth rate of bilateral trade, unsatisfactory business environment, obstacles in technological cooperation and fluctuations of Japanese investment in China.

 

China also hopes Japan considers China's concerns on the status of market economy, trade conditions, export of high and new technologies and personnel exchanges, he said.

 

"China and Japan share expanding mutual interests and new opportunities for cooperation under new historical conditions," said Zeng, who called for both sides to enhance economic and trade cooperation.

 

"We should create a new pattern of economic and trade cooperation, putting emphasis on both commodities and services," Zeng said.

 

The vice premier also urged the two sides to improve technological exchanges on energy-saving and environmental protection and work together more on global and regional economic issues.

 

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, head of the Japanese delegation, said the dialogue was of great importance for the two sides to build strategic reciprocal relations at the economic level.

 

"The practical talks will certainly to be successful", he said.

 

He urged the two sides to deepen cooperation in environmental protection, energy-saving as well as other fields, echoing Zeng's remarks.

 

Ma Kai, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said the administration would promote the introduction of Japanese technologies with pilot projects for Chinese companies.

 

Ma said Japan is expected to offer energy-saving training for 300 Chinese officials in the next three years. He said training offered to 150 Chinese officials by the Japanese side had helped China in stipulating relevant laws and regulations.

 

Zhou Shengxian, director of China's State Environmental Protection Administration, said China would like to learn from Japan on its expertise of water pollution prevention.

 

The two countries could launch a model program to address water pollution along the Yangtze River, he said.

 

Zeng Peiyan also said the two sides could expand investment in each other, and cooperate in fields of equipment manufacturing, information and communication, logistics and high-tech products.

 

The two countries should have more talks on product quality standards and intellectual property protection in a bid to improve trade and investment environment for both sides, Zeng said.

 

"As the two biggest economies in Asia, China and Japan shoulder great responsibility for global economic stability and the prosperity of East Asia," Zeng said.

 

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also called for joint efforts of the two countries in boosting regional cooperation in East Asia, for the long-term benefits of both countries and the whole region.

 

The meeting was co-chaired by Zeng Peiyan and Masahiko Komura.

 

The China-Japan high-level economic dialogue mechanism was jointly launched by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during Wen's trip to Japan in April.

 

Zhang Xiaoji, an expert with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the dialogue would help solve problems such as China's market economy status and export limitation of some Chinese firms to Japan.

 

Jin Xide, a researcher at the Institute of Japanese Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the mechanism played a major role in bringing the two countries to jointly promote bilateral economic ties to a higher level.

 

Japan is China's third largest trade partner and the second largest source of foreign direct investment.

 

China is Japan's largest trade partner and one of Japan's fastest growing export markets.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2007)