'New beginning' for China-Japan relations
By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-04 22:54

Relations between China and Japan are experiencing "a new beginning" and will continue to improve and develop, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei said Tuesday.

Wu made his remarks during a penal discussion at the ongoing First Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), ahead of President Hu Jintao's anticipated Spring visit.

The first trip by a Chinese head of state to Japan in 10 years is an important opportunity to cement bilateral ties, Wu said.

"The visit will have a positive and deep impact on the long-term development of bilateral relations. Both sides are working on details of the visit."

After a cooling of relations between the two sides in the past few years there have been efforts to warm them up, particularly after Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's visit to China in December.

Stronger China-Japan connections would not be undone by the "dumpling-poisoning incident", Wu said, calling it a "contrived case".

In January, Japanese media reported 10 people fell ill after consuming frozen meat dumplings produced by Tianyang Food Plant, based in north China's Hebei province.

Bilateral trade between China and Japan tops $200 billion, larger than that between China and the EU, Wu said, which reflects the solid ties that bind the two countries.

"With such a close relationship it is hard to avoid some issues. China intends to properly resolve these matters and prevent them having an impact on China-Japan relations," Wu said.