Japanese PM Welcomes China-Japan Deal on Trade Row

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 21, 2001

Japanese PM Welcomes China-Japan Deal on Trade Row

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Friday welcomed an agreement between China and Japan to settle their trade dispute over import curbs on three farm products mostly imported form China, saying it will help improve bilateral ties and economic development.

"I welcome the fact that...the issue has been resolved through talks, in line with an agreement between President Jiang Zemin and myself," Koizumi said in a statement in Tokyo.

Koizumi said that although the results of the talks "do not satisfy all of our opinions," he believes that it paves the way for the "promotion of orderly trade" in the Chinese farm products that were at the center of the dispute.

"In addition, from the point of view of promoting long-term friendly relations between Japan and China and the further development of the countries' economies, the government as a whole decided to accept the result of the discussions," the Japanese prime minister said.

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