Q: Today marks the 45th Anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan. How does China view the significance of the treaty and how does China comment on its relations with Japan over those decades? What’s China’s expectation for the future development of this relationship?

A: Forty-five years ago, China and Japan concluded the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan. The Treaty codifies the commitment of China and Japan to peace, friendship and cooperation and establishes the ever-lasting principles and direction for bilateral interaction that prove to be as relevant as ever. In the past 45 years, China-Japan relations have come a long way, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples and contributing to the prosperity and stability of the region and beyond. 

The relations between our two countries are at a critical stage of improvement and growth. We hope that Japan will work with China to take the 45th anniversary of the treaty as an opportunity to revisit the spirit of the treaty, recommit to the consensus in the treaty, uphold the political foundation, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, remove distractions and barriers and jointly build a China-Japan relationship that can meet the requirements of the new era.