Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (Source: Kyodo)
In his message, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing was willing to work with Tokyo for the long-term, healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.
Highlighting Mr. Li’s visit to Japan in May, his first since becoming premier in 2013, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in his message that he is “very pleased to have Japan-China relations return to a normal path.”
He added that both Japan and China had important duties for regional and world peace and prosperity.
The two also said they are eagerly awaiting a meeting in China by the end of the year, although a date has yet to be set.
Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, also exchanged similar messages to mark the occasion.
On August 12th, 1978, Chinese Foreign Minister Huang Hua and his Japanese counterpart Sunao Sonoda signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan in Beijing.
The treaty commited the two sides to developing durable relations of peace and friendship on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, settling all disputes by peaceful means without resorting to the use or threat of force, develop economic and cultural cooperation and promoting exchanges between their peoples.
The signing set a new milestone in the history of relations between the two countries, following the Joint Statement in September 1972 and the normalization of diplomatic relations.
Bilateral ties have developed enormously since, bringing benefits to both peoples and contributing to regional and global prosperity and stability, Premier Li Keqiang said./.