Sino-Japanese leaders agree to exchange regular visits

TOKYO -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed Wednesday to establish a mechanism for a regular exchange of visits between leaders of the two countries in an effort to enhance bilateral ties.

Hu, who is on a five-day "warm-spring" state visit to Japan, held official talks with Fukuda at the prime minister's official residence Wednesday morning.

Both sides agreed to maintain high-level visits, establish a mechanism for a regular exchange of visits between leaders of the two countries, and continue to have meetings on multilateral occasions.

On ways to boost bilateral cooperation in economy and trade and technology, Hu proposed that the two countries should improve and strengthen high-level economic dialogue, enhance cooperation in technology-related trade and innovation, push forward the cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises of the two countries, share experience on intellectual property protection, and carry out cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

With regard to environmental protection, Hu suggested that the two sides reinforce exchanges and cooperation in dealing with water pollution and on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction technologies, and expand cooperation between recycling-style cities.

Hu also said China and Japan should seize the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship to vigorously push forward people-to-people exchanges, build up a long-term mechanism for exchanges between the youth of the two countries, and set up culture centers in each other's countries at an early date.

On national defense, Hu proposed that the two countries strengthen high-level exchange of visits by defense departments of the two countries and expand multi-level exchanges and cooperation.

Fukuda agreed with Hu's proposals.

The two leaders also agreed to continue cooperation in facilitating the process of destroying chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in China at the end of World War II, and on the issues of climate change, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and promoting regional cooperation in East Asia as well as support for Africa's development.