China, Japan should build relations that meet needs of new era: Wang Yi

Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (2nd R, Front) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi (2nd L, Front) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

JAKARTA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan should work together to build a bilateral relationship that meets the needs of the new era, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi said here on Friday.

While meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, Wang said that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which stipulated in law that the two countries should adhere to peace, friendship and cooperation, and established timeless principles and directions for bilateral exchanges.

At present, the bilateral relations are at a crucial juncture, Wang said, noting that Japan's positioning of China as the greatest strategic challenge and hyping up the "China threat" is seriously inconsistent with the reality of China-Japan relations and runs counter to the important consensus of "be partners, not threats."

Wang expressed the hope that Japan will establish an objective and rational understanding of China and bring bilateral relations back on track with sound and steady development, adding that China is open to maintaining contacts at all levels, economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people exchanges.

For his part, Hayashi said that there is huge potential for Japan-China cooperation in a wide range of fields, and the Japanese side attaches great importance to strengthening dialogue and communication with China.

Japan looks forward to taking the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship as an opportunity and under the guidance of the consensuses reached by the leaders of the two countries to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations and create conditions for high-level exchanges between the two sides, Hayashi said.

Regarding the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, Wang stressed that it is an issue that concerns the safety of the marine environment as well as the life and health of humankind.

Nuclear-contaminated water from nuclear accidents should not be compared to the wastewater of normal nuclear power plants as they are completely different in nature, Wang said.

There is no precedent nor commonly accepted standard concerning such discharge, Wang said, adding that it is a scientific matter and a question of attitude as well.

Wang urged the Japanese side to face up to other parties' legitimate concerns and experts' opinions, scientifically verify different discharge approaches, and avoid self-assertion, adding that sincere communication and prudent manner are necessary for handling the matter.