Japanese PM meets Chinese vice premier

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-08 20:49

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met Monday with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan on bilateral economic cooperation.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (L) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso at the latter's official residence in Tokyo June 8, 2009. [Agencies]

During their talks, Wang said that as two major economies in the world, China and Japan are faced with grave challenges posed by the global financial crisis and the worldwide economic recession.

In the grim circumstances, the second China-Japan high-level economic dialogue, which was held successfully Sunday, will play an important role in advancing the implement of the consensus reached by leaders of both countries during President Hu's visit in Japan last year, promoting China-Japan economic and trade cooperation and simulating the economic growth of the two countries as well as the rest of the world, he said.

Wang said that in order to tide over the financial crisis, the Chinese government has adopted a series of policy measures aimed at "maintaining economic growth, expanding domestic demand and adjusting economic structure" and achieved initial success.

"We have the confidence and ability to overcome the current difficulties and maintain the relatively rapid and stable economic growth," said the Chinese vice premier.

Aso, for his part, expressed his hope that the two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation and jointly tackle the challenges in a bid to put the world economy back on the track for growth at an early date.

Earlier in the day, Wang also held talks with representatives from Japan's economic and business communities.

The Chinese vice premier arrived Saturday to attend the second China-Japan high-level economic dialogue.

During the one-day dialogue, which was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone, the two sides discussed a wide range of issues and signed eight documents, including the MOU for International Property Protection Exchanges and Cooperation, Meeting Minutes on Agriculture Cooperation between China and Japan, and the MOU on Strengthening Science and Technology Cooperation in the Field of Seismology.

The dialogue mechanism was jointly launched by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during Wen's trip to Japan in April 2007.

The first dialogue was held in Beijing in December 2007.