(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-02 19:50

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called here Sunday for China and Japan to seize the opportunity to realize the sustainable, stable and healthy development of the bilateral economic and trade relations.

China and Japan are important trade partners and economic and trade cooperation is the basis on which to construct the bilateral strategic and reciprocal relations, Wen said in his meeting with the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.

According to a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wen also highlighted the current growth momentum of the Sino-Japanese relations, saying the two nations are facing good opportunities to further developing ties.

"The two sides should seize the opportunity to boost the exchange and cooperation and make joint efforts to promote the peaceful coexistence, cooperation with mutual benefit, common development and long-lasting friendship," Wen said.

When commenting on the ongoing first meeting of the China-Japan high-level economic dialogue mechanism in Beijing, Wen said the mechanism serves as an important platform to coordinate the different Chinese and Japanese governmental departments and exchange views on issues to each other's key concerns in an aim to improve the level of the bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Masahiko Komura, who was here to attend the mechanism meeting, said Japan and China could have a candid and comprehensive dialogue on the economic and trade issues, especially on economic policy, energy efficiency, environmental protection, investment and international and regional trade-related issues.

Japan will continue its efforts to further expand the exchange and cooperation in various fields with China in a bid to step up the bilateral strategic and reciprocal relations, Masahiko Komura said.

Masahiko Komura also met with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan on the bilateral ties on Sunday afternoon.

The China-Japan high-level economic dialogue mechanism was jointly launched by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan during Wen's trip to Japan in April.

Japan is China's third largest trade partner and the second largest source of foreign direct investment.

China is Japan's largest trade partner and one of Japan's fastest growing export markets.