Belt and Road a new platform for China, Japan: Xi

The Belt and Road Initiative can be a new platform and an "experimental field" for China and Japan to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Xi made the comments when meeting with Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai in Beijing.

Japan is welcome to discuss cooperation with China under the framework of building the Belt and Road, Xi said, noting that the Japanese clearly stated their endorsement of the Belt and Road Initiative, according to a media release by the Foreign Ministry.

Nikai is visiting China as a representative of the Japanese government and attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from Sunday to Monday,

Both major global economies, China and Japan share common interests in promoting economic globalization and promoting free trade, Xi noted.

Nikai expressed his gratitude to Xi for the meeting and congratulated him on China's successful hosting of the forum, and said both Japan and China will benefit from cooperation.

On bilateral ties, Xi said history has proved that peace, friendship and cooperation are the only correct choice for both countries, and this also the common aspiration of the two peoples and the international community.

"We should think deeply about the crux of the problems that prevent bilateral ties improving, and take effective measures to reverse the situation," Xi said.

During their talks, Xi noted that Nikai is an old friend of the Chinese people and has long been dedicated to friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and next year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Xi mentioned the two anniversaries and said the two countries are facing new opportunities as well as some prominent challenges.

China and Japan should act on the spirit of "drawing lessons from history and facing up to the future" and improve their relations on the basis of the four key political documents and the four-point principled consensus, Xi said.

It is hoped that the Japanese will work with China to eliminate disturbances and promote China-Japan relations developing in the right direction, Xi said.

Since the normalization of diplomatic relations 45 years ago, the relationship has developed greatly, it has brought tangible benefits to the two countries and their peoples, and it also plays an important role in regional peace and stability, Xi said.

Nikai said it is hoped that both sides can hold various commemorative activities to mark the two anniversaries to introduce impetus for the development of China-Japan ties.