TOKYO, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said recently through a Japanese newspaper that Japan and China face a great deal of important opportunities to expand communication in all fields in 2008.

    In his new year greetings published in the Jan. 1 edition of the "Japan and China," the organ of the Japan-China Friendship Association, Fukuda said the year 2007, which was the 35th anniversary of the normalization of ties between Japan and China, has been a year of great improvement for the bilateral relationship, during which leaders of the two countries carried out mutual visits and all kinds of activities such as those related with the "Culture and Sports Exchange Year" were successfully conducted.

    Fukuda mentioned that 2008 will be the 30th anniversary of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship. He described the bilateral relationship cemented by the treaty as an iron bridge, which is harder than the original hanging bridge set up by the Japan-China Joint Statement signed 35 years ago.

    The number of people shuttling between Japan and China everyday has reached 13,000, and events such as the Beijing Olympics in 2008 will provide more important opportunities to expand bilateral communication in all fields, Fukuda said.

    The premier called for further cooperation between the two countries in the new year to make constructive contribution to the establishment of the mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests and to the maintenance of peace and prosperity of Asia and the world.

China, Japan confirm new mechanism for long term reciprocal co-op

Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan (6th R Front) poses for a photo with participants of the first China-Japan high-level economic dialogue in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 1, 2007. The first China-Japan high-level economic dialogue was held in Beijing on Dec. 1.  (Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan on Monday jointly released a press communique on their first high-level economic dialogue which was held over the weekend, confirming a new mechanism for forging long-term reciprocal cooperation.

    The press communique said that at the one-day dialogue meeting China and Japan had "frank" discussions of issues concerning macro-economic policies, trade and investment, climate change, environmental protection and multilateral and regional economic cooperation and the two sides agreed to release a report on their joint research about bilateral economic and trade cooperation in the long term.  Full story

Press communique: China, Japan to further food safety cooperation

    BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan will continue to cooperate and improve their product quality and food safety systems, said a press communique issued by the two countries after their first high-level economic dialogue.

    In the communique, the two countries agreed to solve issues of common concern through technical negotiations through the end of March 2008. These issues include exports of Chinese pumpkins and the meat of artiodactyls (cattle, deer and similar hoofed animals)to Japan, as well as Japanese rice exports to China.  Full story

Premier Wen: China-Japan talks successful

    BEIJING, Dec. 3 -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met Japan's Foreign Minister on Sunday, saying trade and economic talks to strengthen ties between China and Japan have so far been successful.

    Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao met with Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura as part of weekend discussions, which bring together the largest number of officials from the two countries since they opened diplomatic ties 35 years ago.  Full story