China, Japan keen to improve relationship

BEIJING - The Chinese and Japanese governments will work together to improve bilateral relations as Beijing and Tokyo get ready to mark the 40th anniversary of the normalization of ties between the two countries next year, their leaders agreed on Monday.

President Hu Jintao and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda expressed the intention during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

According to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry after the talks, Hu told Noda that China-Japan relations witnessed "a positive momentum of development over the past year ... and seen a good start since the new Japanese cabinet took office in September".