Chinese, Japanese leaders stress importance of relations

On the fiftieth anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties between China and Japan, their respective leaders said it was important to take relations in a positive direction. Xi told Kishida that he attached "Great importance" to the development of China-Japan ties, and that he was willing to expand the relationship, reported China's state channel CCTV. "Japan and China share a great responsibility to achieve peace and prosperity in the region and world. In view of the next 50 years ... I hope to work with you to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations" Kishida told Xi. There was no formal event to celebrate the occasion. China and Japan have had strained relations due to multiple issues, including disputed islands and regional influence. Japan is concerned by Chinese activity around the disputed Tokyo-controlled Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyus. The war in Ukraine also has Japan and China on opposing sides. China is Japan's largest trading partner and Japan is China's second-largest partner, after the United States. "I believe what we decided 50 years ago is that Japan and China do not fight, and that we cooperate with each other to build relations of peace and stability," former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said at the Tokyo event with 850 business executives and politicians.