China has noted some positive signals released by Japan’s new cabinet, and high-level exchange is of great significance to the development of China-Japan relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi during a phone call on Tuesday. It is hoped that the new cabinet will take a good “first step” in engaging with China and fasten the “first button” properly, said Wang.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, congratulated Motegi on his reappointment as Japan’s foreign minister, noting that China and Japan are important neighbors to each other, according to a readout of the conversation released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China’s policy toward Japan remains consistent and stable, Wang said, adding that China is willing to work with Japan to comprehensively advance strategic relationship of mutual benefit between the two countries in accordance with the principles and direction set out in the four China-Japan political documents, and to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the needs of the new era.
Issues related to history and Taiwan question bear on the foundation of bilateral relations and the basic trust between the two sides, said Wang, noting that China hopes that Japan will work with it to safeguard the political foundation of China-Japan relations and promote their steady improvement and development in the right direction.
Motegi said that the international situation is undergoing profound changes, and both Japan and China are shouldering increasing international responsibilities. He noted that China is an important neighbor of Japan, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi places great importance on Japan-China relations.
Japan has never intended to decouple or sever supply chains with China, and hopes that the two sides will strengthen exchanges at all levels, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences, and comprehensively advance a constructive and stable strategic relationship of mutual benefit between Japan and China, said the Japanese foreign minister.
The two sides also exchanged views on specific issues concerning bilateral relations, according to the readout.
