Personages from Japan's political parties are of the opinion that whatever Japan's political situation turns, the general trend of China-Japan strategic and mutually beneficial relations will not be reversed, said a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Wednesday.

Liu Hongcai, deputy chief of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee made the remarks in a speech at the plenary meeting of the Fourth Beijing-Tokyo Forum after talking to members of Japan's major political parties duringthe forum.

"Whoever becomes Japan's prime minister, the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between China and Japan must persist," said Liu.

"This has basically become the consensus among the populace as well as Japanese government leaders and politicians," he said.

With concerted efforts, China and Japan "will reap new fruits and add fresh chapter to the annals of bilateral relations," Liu said.

The Four Beijing-Tokyo Forum, which opened with a dinner party late Monday, had an official plenary meeting and panel dialogues Tuesday. The gathering will close at midday Wednesday after the ongoing plenary meeting.

Present at the three-day forum are more than 100 personages from various circles of both countries.

The annual forum, co-sponsored by China Daily and the non-profit Japanese organization Genron NPO, is held alternately in Beijing and Tokyo. The first Tokyo-Beijing Form took place in Beijing in August 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2008)