Japan urged to create conditions for improving ties

Liu Yunshan, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Monday urged Japanto make joint efforts with China to create conditions for improving bilateral ties.

Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with a delegation of senior Japanese politicians headed by Hiromu Nonaka, former secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Liu praised Nonaka's long-term efforts to develop bilateral relations. He said the CPC and the Chinese government attach great importance to bilateral ties and are willing to advance relations on the basis of four political documents signed between China and Japan.

The documents include the China-Japan Joint Statement inked in 1972, the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1978, the China-Japan Joint Declaration of 1998 and a joint statement on advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations in an all-round way that was signed in 2008.

"(We) hope the Japanese side will use history as a mirror, look into the future and adhere to a path of peaceful development," Liu said.

Nonaka said the Japanese delegation is making its visit to encourage politicians from all political parties to review history and make efforts to rehabilitate bilateral ties.

Relations between China and Japan soured after the Japanese government "purchased" part of the Diaoyu Islands, over which China claims sovereignty.

Nonaka recalled the consensus on the Diaoyu Islands reached by the leaders of both countries after they normalized relations 41 years ago.

People want both sides to get along with each other, Nonaka said, adding that he and the rest of the delegation will work hard to achieve this goal.