BEIJING -- Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan said Monday that the current China-Japan relationship stands at a new starting point and the two sides should seize the opportunity to advance the relationship.

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"It is a common task for both of us to seize the opportunity and consolidate the positive development trend of bilateral relations," Tang said in a meeting with Kono Yohei, speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan.

"Therefore, the two sides should keep high-level visits and safeguard the stability of overall bilateral relationship; continuously expand and deepen mutual-beneficial cooperation in various fields; and properly handle major sensitive issues such as those involving history and Taiwan so as to avoid another disturbance to the normal development of bilateral relations," said Tang.