Li Keqiang and Shinzo Abe announce China-Japan deals, commit to stable relations
- Chinese Premier and Japanese Prime Minister outline a package of business deals and cooperation agreements
- We are neighbours and partners, not a threat to each other, says Abe as the countries vow to eliminate conflicts
Leaders of China and Japan announced they had agreed to boost economic cooperation and not to pose a threat to each other at a joint press conference on Friday.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who held the press conference in Beijing alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also announced that the two countries had signed over 500 business deals during Abe’s ongoing visit to China, the first by a Japanese leader in seven years.
A series of cooperation agreements were signed, including reviving a currency-swap deal dropped in 2013, while Li also called for an early conclusion to an Asia-Pacific nations trade pact that includes 16 countries but not the United States.
Li did not provide further information on the business deals, but said they would provide great opportunities for both sides, and that they would push for more cooperation on innovation, environmental protection and health and welfare.
“We both feel that it is in our mutual interest to maintain a long-term stable China-Japan relationship, which is also beneficial to the stability of the region,” said Li, adding that China was willing to increase high-level dialogue.