Mr. Li Keqiang, the Premier of State Council, attended the opening ceremony of the 3rd China-Japan Governors Forum and delivered a speech in Sapporo, Hokkaido on the morning of May, 11th. Mr. Abe Shinzō, the Prime Minister of Japan, was present.
Li Keqiang said, China and Japan are important neighbors. Keeping a healthy and stable relation is not only in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and the peoples, but also beneficial to the stability and prosperity of the region and the world. Both sides should firmly keep to the general direction of peace, friendship and cooperation of bilateral relations on the basis of the four political documents between China and Japan, and further develop Sino-Japanese good-neighborly and friendly relations. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan. Both sides should review the spirit of the treaty, consolidate the political foundation, broaden the friendly cooperation in order to push bilateral relations back to right track and make new and stable development.
Li Keqiang pointed out, local exchange and cooperation is an important part of Sino-Japanese relations and important channel for promoting the friendship between the two countries. During the visit, the Chinese and Japanese governments reached a number of cooperation agreements, creating conditions and space for deepening cooperation between the two countries and enterprises. Both sides agreed to carry out innovation cooperation, establish an innovative dialogue mechanism, and gradually promote technical cooperation between the two countries in the fields of high-tech, aging population, health care and others, while strictly require to protect intellectual property rights. Meantime, Premier Li hoped that the two sides could play the economic complementary advantages, jointly explore third-party markets and cooperate to form a stronger competitiveness in order to avoid vicious competition. Strengthening financial cooperation and sign an agreement for currency swaps as soon as possible. The Chinese side agreed to grant the Japanese RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) quota, which would facilitate investment, personnel exchange and financial risks for both sides. He hoped that Japanese enterprises would make use of this advantage to actively expand investment in China.
Li Keqiang said that at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference, President Xi Jinping made it clear that the door of China's opening-up will be wider and wider. In this process, local provinces in China are willing to cooperate with Japanese localities in the fields of strengthening high-tech, high-end manufacturing, modern agriculture and etc., and welcome Japanese localities and enterprises to actively participate in the process of China’s development towards high-quality and achieve mutual benefit and win-win.
Shinzo Abe said that the exchange of friendly cities between Japan and China has continued to develop and has become one of the driving forces for the peaceful and friendly development of the two countries and an uninterrupted friendship bond. The two sides should further stimulate the vitality of local exchanges, strengthen cooperation in the fields of aging population, local development, and tourism, and promote the development of strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission He Lifeng, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin, and 12 governors from China and Japan, attended the forum.
