Symposium Held in Beijing before 40th Anniv. of Japan-China Peace Treaty

August 12, 2018

Beijing- A symposium to mark the 40th anniversary Sunday of the conclusion of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty was held at a hotel in Beijing on Saturday.

Participants, including former government officials of the two countries, expressed their welcome for the improvement of bilateral relations, while some said history and other pending issues need to be resolved.

In his keynote address, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama claimed that the history issue has yet to be settled, urging the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to make efforts to achieve a better relationship with China.

Former Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo said now is the time for both Japan and China to work on properly dealing with sensitive issues because their relations are returning to the right track.

Also at the symposium, Japanese Ambassador to China Yutaka Yokoi said, "The two countries will be communicating more closely from now on, with their top-ranking government officials visiting each other's country to hold talks on a regular basis." He showed his resolve to realize Abe's visit to China this year and Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Japan next year.

The symposium was sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a Chinese government-affiliated think tank. Jiji Press