China and Japan to Resume High-Level Contact

By He Shan

Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Ken Okaniwa speaks to reporters at a news briefing on the sidelines of the ongoing APEC Economic Leaders' Week. photo by china.org.cn

China has reached a four point principle agreement with Japan to resume high-level contact that has been frozen for more than two years amid disputes over the Diaoyu Islands and other contentious issues, according to an announcement by China's foreign ministry Friday.

The announcement came out of a meeting in Beijing on November 7, 2014 between Chinese Vice Premier Yang Jiechi, and Japan's visiting National Security Adviser Shotaro Yachi.

Amid much anticipation as to where Sino-Japanese relations are heading, the agreement is the strongest signal of a possible meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at next week's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

The announcement said the Chinese side has reiterated its solemn position, urging the Japanese side to face up to and properly handle such issues of great sensitivity as history and the Diaoyu Islands and work with the Chinese side for the improvement and growth of bilateral relations.

At a news briefing on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week in the evening of November 7, Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Ken Okaniwa said both sides have recognized that they must face history squarely and look towards the future, and in that spirit both countries will overcome the political difficulties that affect relations.

"Both sides recognize there are differences of views regarding the tensions which have occurred in recent years in the East China Sea. They share the view that the situation must be prevented from deteriorating through dialogue and consultation," Ken Okaniwa said.

He added the two sides were working to fix a meeting between the two leaders, but it had not yet been decided.

Though the meeting between two leaders is widely expected, no announcement has been made. The four-point principled agreement on handling and improving bilateral relations includes:

First, the two sides have affirmed that they will follow the principles and spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan and continue to develop the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit.

Second, in the spirit of "facing history squarely and looking forward to the future", the two sides have reached some agreement on overcoming political obstacles in the bilateral relations.

Third, the two sides have acknowledged that different positions exist between them regarding the tensions which have emerged in recent years over the Diaoyu Islands and some waters in the East China Sea, and agreed to prevent the situation from aggravating through dialogue and consultation and establish crisis management mechanisms to avoid contingencies.

Fourth, the two sides have agreed to gradually resume political, diplomatic and security dialogue through various multilateral and bilateral channels and to make efforts to build political mutual trust.

Source: china.org.cn