Chinese Vice President Seeks to Improve Relations with Japan

Beijing, Aug. 18 (Jiji Press)--Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao told a group of young Japanese lawmakers on Monday that he plans to make efforts to help the two countries improve their relations. An environment necessary to remove political obstacles should be created to help realize a bilateral summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Li told the Japanese lawmakers in their meeting in Beijing. Li's comments came as the Japanese suprapartisan group expressed hopes that the bilateral summit will take place on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in Beijing in November, according to Kiyohiko Toyama, a House of Representatives lawmaker of New Komeito, the coalition partner of Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The meeting between the Chinese vice president and the Japanese lawmakers shows that Beijing hopes to highlight its positive stance toward improving bilateral relations and seek concessions from Tokyo, sources familiar with the situation said. Li also told the Japanese group that both countries need to ignore minor differences for a common good. According to Goshi Hosono, former secretary-general of the Democratic Party of Japan, Li said that China wants to enhance communications with Japanese defense authorities on maritime affairs. Li also said that China aims to actively promote bilateral cooperation in the field of environment, according to Hosono. END