Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's just concluded trip to Japan, during which he attended the fourth China-Japan-South Korea summit, has significantly boosted tripartite cooperation and regional peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Sunday.

Yang, who accompanied Wen during his visit on Saturday and Sunday, told reporters that the two-day trip has further boosted cooperation in East Asia, consolidated popular support for China-Japan friendship, enriched the contents of China-Japan and China-South Korea partnerships, and is of great and profound significance for maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Yang said the trip was practical, effective, productive and a complete success.

Deepening trilateral cooperation

The trip has deepened trilateral practical cooperation in various fields, Yang said.

Wen, at the trilateral summit held in Tokyo on Sunday and attended by Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, put forward a seven-point proposal for the three countries to widen cooperation.

First, efforts should be made to support Japan's post-quake reconstruction.

Second, the three countries should attach great importance to nuclear safety and strictly implement the consensus reached.

Third, the three countries should promote practical cooperation on disaster prevention and reduction.

Fourth, they should promote liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment among them, push forward integration of regional economy, and try to start negotiations on a tripartite free trade zone next year.

Fifth, they should vigorously develop renewable energy and popularize energy-saving technology.

Sixth, they should speed up construction of demonstration bases for circular economy in order to promote rational use of resources, protect the environment and realize sustainable development.

Seventh, they should boost people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Premier Wen's proposal was applauded by Japanese Prime Minister Kan and South Korean President Lee.

The three leaders, in a joint declaration issued after the summit, said they would deepen the future-oriented comprehensive cooperative partnership among the three countries.

They also agreed to cooperate on disaster management, nuclear safety, economic growth, sustainable development and cultural affairs.

Enhancing China-Japan friendship, boosting bilateral ties

As close neighbors and important countries in the world, China and Japan have broad common interests, Yang said.

China and Japan will mark the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, and China highly values its ties with Japan and regards Japan as its important cooperation partner, he said.

When Japan was hit by a devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11 and ensuing disasters, the Chinese government and various circles expressed sympathies and support in many ways, said Yang.

After his arrival in Japan, the Chinese premier rushed to the coastal town of Natori and the city of Fukushima, which were respectively hit by the quake and tsunami and radiation leak, to express deep condolences.

Wen stressed that China-Japan friendship is built on the foundation of positive feelings among the two peoples. He believed that, with joint efforts, China-Japan ties will constantly improve. Such a development conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, and is conducive to peace and development of Asia and the world.

The Japanese public was deeply touched and encouraged by Wen's visit to the disaster-stricken areas, believing that Wen showed China's sincerity with concrete action, and hoping China-Japan friendship will last generation after generation, Yang said.

Premier Wen also told reporters on various occasions that China supports Japan's disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts. He also expounded China's stance on further promoting mutual beneficial strategic ties between the two countries.

During his visit to Japan, the Chinese premier met in Tokyo with students from the prestigious Sophia University and members of a pop band and encouraged them to make concrete efforts for China-Japan friendship.

When meeting his Japanese counterpart Kan on Sunday, Wen China is willing to boost high-level exchanges with Japan and strengthen mutual trust based on the principles of the four political documents between the two countries, so as to lay a sound foundation for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic ties next year.

To support Japan's early recovery from the quake-tsunami twin disasters, Wen said, China will send trade delegations and tourists to Japan, and will ease restrictions on Japanese food imports provided Tokyo ensures their safety.

The two nations will also share experiences in disaster prevention and relief work, as well as to set up an effective cooperation mechanism in this regard.

The two leaders agreed in their talks to promote renewable energy and improve energy efficiency.

On cultural issues, Wen said the Chinese government will invite 500 students from Japan's disaster-hit areas to China, and that 4,000 Chinese and Japanese youths will visit each other's countries this year to improve friendship among the two peoples.

Kan expressed gratitude for the major support and assistance from China in the wake of the disasters, and thanked Wen for his visit to the disaster-stricken areas, which, he said, came as great encouragement to the people there and helped improve friendship between the two nations.

The Japanese prime minister vowed to strengthen cooperation with China in a wide range of fields, including trade, environment, tourism and culture, to promote mutually beneficial strategic relations.

Boosting China-South Korean strategic partnership

When meeting with President Lee, Wen said China and South Korea need to strengthen high-level communication, enhance political and strategic mutual trust, and join hands to meet challenges so as to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the whole world.

The Chinese premier said the two sides should strive toward the target of bilateral trade of $300 billion by 2015.

The two sides also should make efforts to expand cooperation in new sectors, including energy saving and environmental protection, and start negotiations on a Free Trade Area as soon as possible to facilitate the free flow of trade and investment, Wen said.

China and South Korea have agreed to jointly hold events to mark the 20th anniversary of bilateral ties.

On the situation of the Korea Peninsula, Wen said China has been actively pushing peace and dialogue in this regard as well as the resumption of the six-party talks.

China firmly holds that dialogue and consultation are the ultimate way to the resolution of the issue, and the six-party talks can play an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region and realizing denuclearization of the peninsula, Wen said.

Lee spoke highly of the development of the South Korea-China relations and agreed with Wen's ideas on deepening cooperation between the two countries.

South Korea is willing to work together with China to push bilateral strategic partnership to a new stage when the two countries mark the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year, said Lee.

The South Korean president said his country highly appreciates the active role China has played in maintaining peace and stability of the Korea Peninsula and that South Korea is willing to continuously keep its close communication and cooperation with China.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2011)