Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (R) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso during the APEC Ministerial Meeting Plenary Session in Hanoi, Nov. 16, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    HANOI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said here Thursday that China and Japan should make joint efforts to properly handle sensitive issues between the two countries so that the overall bilateral relations will not be disturbed.

    Li made the remarks when meeting his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the on-going ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), stressing that the Japanese side should properly handle the issue of Taiwan.

    Since the recent visit to China by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Sino-Japanese relations had improved remarkably and been put back on normal track of development, he said.

    "This is the hard-won result through the joint efforts of both sides, which we should cherish dearly," he said.

    Li pointed to the fact that both sides should actively promote exchanges and cooperation in such sectors as economy and trade, culture, youth and defense, to consolidate the development trend of bilateral relations and elevate the mutual-benefitial relations to a new high, he said.

    The minister said that China and Japan had agreed to hold the first academic meeting on the joint study of history within this year.

    Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said that since Abe's visit to China, the exchanges of visits by high-level officials of the two countries had increased markedly, with bilateral cooperation and exchanges in all sectors enhanced.

    "The Japanese side is willing to join hands with the Chinese side to further promote the trend," he said.

    On the issue of Taiwan, he said that there had been no changes on the Japanese government's position and that the government will handle the issue in accordance with the principles set in political documents such as the joint declaration of Japan and China.

    The two ministers also exchanged views on regional issues of common concern.