头条英文播报 |Beijing, Tokyo eye broader cooperation

Premier Li holds talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Dec. 25, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Countries can work together on aging, modern services, Li tells Japanese PM

Beijing and Tokyo have agreed to expand cooperation in coping with aging societies and other issues as they seek to foster new areas of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

The consensus was made between Premier Li and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, on Wednesday. The two leaders had talks in a hotel at the foot of Mount Qingcheng, a Taoist holy site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, about one-hour drive from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

The two leaders, together with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in, convened in the city for the eighth China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting on Tuesday.

Li said China's ongoing efforts to further open up its services sector will provide more opportunities for both countries to expand win-win cooperation. There is broad space for greater bilateral cooperation in coping with aging societies and achieving mutual benefits, he said.

Both countries also face challenges of rapidly aging societies. New births in Japan have fallen below 900,000 per year for the first time on record, while births in China dropped for two consecutive years despite a universal two-child policy being adopted.

He highlighted the modern services — including securities, life insurance and healthcare — as sectors where the two countries can work together further.

"We can select some pilot areas where there will be greater opening-up so as to foster new highlights for bilateral cooperation. Chengdu could be a good option," Li said.

He also urged more cooperative measures in investment, innovation and tapping into third-party markets, as well as higher level people-to-people exchanges.

Abe echoed Li's proposal, saying that there is broad space for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

He said Japan appreciates China's efforts to further open up its services sector, and it is willing to actively take part in the process.

During the meeting, Li also called upon both sides to stay committed to the principles set out in four political documents that are fundamental to Sino-Japanese relations, carefully handle sensitive issues and enable continuous new progress.

Abe said the two countries must conduct closer high-level exchanges, enhance communication and dialogue and jointly open a new era for bilateral relations.

After the meeting, Li accompanied Abe on a visit to the Dujiang¬yan irrigation system, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bilateral trade between China and Japan reached more than $327 billion in 2018, up 8.1 percent over the previous year. Since 2007, China has been Japan's largest trade partner.

Relations between China and Japan were long clouded by issues including wartime history and territorial disputes. But they have come back on track since Li's visit to Japan in May 2018. Five months later, Abe visited Beijing.

When President Xi Jinping and Abe met in June on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Xi agreed in principle to accept Abe's invitation to make a state visit to Japan next spring.

Ahead of his trip to Chengdu, Abe met Xi in Beijing on Monday.

Zhou Yongsheng, deputy director of China Foreign Affairs University's Japanese Studies Center, said Japan has much expertise to share with China in its services sector.

"Both economies now face downward pressure and require vitality from outside to shore up growth," Zhou said, adding that closer bilateral trade relations and investment cooperation will offer the two countries more leeway amid the sluggish global economy.

Xu Liping, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said greater political mutual trust is needed for the two countries to elevate bilateral relations.

"It is important for the two countries to see each other as cooperative partners rather than opponents," he said, adding that more must be done to promote understanding between the two peoples.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Beijing on Wednesday.

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记者：徐伟

播报：Randy Wright

原文链接：

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201912/26/WS5e0393c9a310cf3e355809c9.html

【阅读背景】

李克强同日本首相安倍晋三举行会谈

        新华社成都12月25日电（记者朱超、张超群）国务院总理李克强25日上午在都江堰豪生酒店同日本首相安倍晋三举行会谈。

　　李克强表示，当前中日关系总体保持改善发展势头，这一局面来之不易。中方重视中日关系，习近平主席在北京会见了你。双方应恪守中日四个政治文件确立的各项原则，继续本着以史为鉴、面向未来的精神，立足当前，着眼长远，妥善处理敏感问题，推动两国关系在重回正轨的基础上不断实现新的发展。去年我访问日本期间，首相先生陪同我访问了北海道。我今天在成都都江堰同你会谈，也是尽地主之谊。希望日方同中方相向而行，为双方开展更多高层交往营造良好条件和氛围。

　　李克强指出，中日同为世界主要经济体，互为主要贸易伙伴。中国正在扩大服务业开放，这将为两国拓展互利合作提供更大机遇。在应对老龄化领域，中日合作空间广阔，完全可以实现互利互惠。在证券、寿险、医疗等现代服务业领域深化合作，在试点城市步子可以迈得更大一些，培育新的合作增长点。加强投资、创新、第三方市场等领域合作。扩大人文交流，为两国关系发展夯实民意基础。

　　李克强表示，第八次中日韩领导人会议取得圆满成功，我们共同展望和规划三国合作未来发展，对外发出了维护多边主义和自由贸易、维护地区和平与稳定的积极信息。我们愿同包括日方在内的各方加强沟通协调，推动明年如期签署区域全面经济伙伴关系协定（RCEP），加快推进中日韩自贸区协定谈判，这既有利于促进区域经济一体化进程，也有利于推进世界贸易组织改革。

　　安倍晋三表示，祝贺中方主持的第八次中日韩领导人会议取得成功。三国合作过去20年成果丰硕，有力增进了三国及地区人民的福祉。去年李克强总理访日，日中关系重回正常发展轨道。日中两国对地区和世界的和平稳定与发展繁荣负有重要责任。双方要密切高层交往，加强沟通对话，共同开创日中关系新时代。两国经贸合作空间广阔，日方愿同中方加强在应对老龄化、金融、旅游、环保、减灾、医疗等领域合作。日中在科技创新、第三方市场等领域合作取得积极进展，愿继续合力推进。日方赞赏中方进一步扩大服务业市场开放，愿积极参与开放进程。日方愿与相关国家共同努力，推动尽快签署高水平的RCEP，推进中日韩自贸区谈判进程。

　　会谈后，李克强与安倍晋三共同参观了都江堰水利工程。

中文来源：新华网

中文原文链接：

http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/leaders/2019-12/25/c_1125387996.htm