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193351
Wed, 07/06/2011 - 18:19
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http://m.oananews.org//node/193351
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Japan, China parliamentarians resume exchange meeting
TOKYO, July 6 Kyodo - Japanese and Chinese parliamentarians resumed an annual meeting at the Diet in Tokyo on Wednesday after they failed to meet last year as a result of a row over a ship collision last September near the disputed Senkaku Islands.
Tatsuo Kawabata, chairman of the House of Representatives' steering committee and Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, met mainly to discuss ways to develop bilateral ties, trading of rare metals and cooperation in disaster preparedness in the wake of the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami.
Kawabata from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan said at the outset of the meeting that he regretted the meeting did not take place last year ''due to the Chinese side's circumstances.'' He also said, ''I hope we can deepen our mutual understanding through active discussions.''
Li said, ''The meeting was postponed due to various reasons. We intend to exert efforts to develop healthy and stable relations between both countries.''
The meeting was the sixth of its kind as members of the Japanese lower house and the Chinese parliament have been visiting each other's country in turn since 2005 to exchange opinions on various issues.
They were originally scheduled to meet last September but it was postponed in the aftermath of the collision between a Chinese trawler and Japan Coast Guard vessels in waters near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China.
Tatsuo Kawabata, chairman of the House of Representatives' steering committee and Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, met mainly to discuss ways to develop bilateral ties, trading of rare metals and cooperation in disaster preparedness in the wake of the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami.
Kawabata from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan said at the outset of the meeting that he regretted the meeting did not take place last year ''due to the Chinese side's circumstances.'' He also said, ''I hope we can deepen our mutual understanding through active discussions.''
Li said, ''The meeting was postponed due to various reasons. We intend to exert efforts to develop healthy and stable relations between both countries.''
The meeting was the sixth of its kind as members of the Japanese lower house and the Chinese parliament have been visiting each other's country in turn since 2005 to exchange opinions on various issues.
They were originally scheduled to meet last September but it was postponed in the aftermath of the collision between a Chinese trawler and Japan Coast Guard vessels in waters near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China.
