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China, Japan to re-establish hotline

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (4th L) attends the welcoming ceremony hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in Tokyo, capital of Japan, May 31, 2010. [Xinhua]

China and Japan on Monday agreed to re-establish a hot line between the premiers of the two countries.

The pledge was made during talks between visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in Tokyo.

The two leaders also agreed to launch negotiations on implementing principled consensus on the East China Sea issue, speed up the establishment of a maritime communication mechanism between defense departments of the two countries, and negotiate and sign an agreement on maritime rescue at an early date.

During their talks, Wen said that the world economy, though in a complex and difficult situation, is recovering and that the world is undergoing far-reaching changes. Sound China-Japan relations are not only in the interests of the two countries, but also of vital importance to reinvigorating the Asian economy and building on world harmony and sustainable development.

"China sees Japan as a strategic partner, not a competitor or a rival. The two neighbors should view each other as partners so as to have peaceful coexistence and long-lasting friendship," Wen said.

On economic affairs, Wen said the foundation of economic cooperation between China and Japan is solid. The two countries should make the best of the high-level economic dialogue and other mechanisms to enhance macroeconomic coordination, and launch a number of major cooperation projects in green economy, energy and environment, and circular economy.

Wen also said friendship between the two peoples serves as the basis of amicable relations between Japan and China. The two nations should continue to nurture this friendship by promoting communication and exchanges among the youths, and exchanges in culture, tourism and media, and between cities and civil groups.

China will invite 1,000 youths from Japan to the World Expo in Shanghai, and invite Japanese rescuers to revisit Wenchuan of Sichuan Province to see the rebuilding process in the area leveled by a major earthquake in May 2008. The two countries also decided to arrange exchange of visits by people working in mass communication and social sciences.

The two leaders also discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Before their talks, Hatoyama hosted a welcome ceremony for Wen, who is on a second visit to Japan since 2007.

Both leaders witnessed a signing ceremony of four memorandums of understanding, including one on food safety.

Premier Wen arrived in Tokyo on Sunday for a three-day official visit. Japan is the second leg of his four-nation Asian tour, which has taken him to South Korea. He will also visit Mongolia and Myanmar.

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