Two countries should work together to protect multilateralism, Xi tells Abe

President Xi Jinping called on Friday for more efforts with Japan to expand common interests, safeguard multilateralism, support free trade and promote building an open global economy.

China and Japan rely on each other more and more in a rapidly changing global situation, and the two countries have a wider range of common interests and concerns in multilateral relations, Xi said while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Abe is visiting China from Thursday to Saturday, the first official visit by a Japanese prime minister since 2011.

"We should seize this historic opportunity and make it become a new historic orientation for the development of Sino-Japanese relations," Xi said.

The healthy development of China-Japan relations is good for the interests of the people of both sides, and it is also the expectation of the region and the international community, Xi said.

Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Xi said the bilateral relations face new opportunities for development.

The treaty set the direction for everlasting peace and friendship between the two countries and provided the basis for the two sides to cooperate for mutual benefits, seek common development and properly handle sensitive issues, including history and Taiwan, Xi said. The president added that recalling the history of the treaty is helpful for the two sides to beef up their determination to pursue peace, friendship and win-win cooperation.

The two countries should follow the principles laid out in the four political documents signed between the two sides, move in the direction of peace and friendship, continue to deepen mutual beneficial cooperation and promote new development of Sino-Japanese relations, Xi said.

Since July last year, Xi has held multiple bilateral meetings with Abe on the sidelines of international meetings including the G20 Summit, the APEC Informal Leaders' Meeting and the Eastern Economic Forum, and they have maintained contact.

Mentioning his meetings with Abe in recent years, Xi said he appreciated Abe's positive willingness to improve and develop Sino-Japanese relations.

"We can say that we both have started and led the process of improving and developing Sino-Japanese relations," Xi told Abe.

With joint efforts made by the two sides, China-Japan relations are returning to the normal track with positive momentum, which should be cherished by the two countries, Xi added.

The two countries should enhance strategic communication, correctly understand the other side's developmental strategic intention, implement the political consensus of "being cooperative partners, not being a threat to each other", and enhance mutual political trust, Xi said.

China is continuously deepening reform, and the country's door will open wider and wider, which will provide more opportunities for all countries, including Japan, Xi said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative has provided a new platform for China and Japan to deepen cooperation.

The two countries should build a constructive bilateral security relationship, stick to the path of peace and development and safeguard regional peace and stability, Xi said.

Abe said he expected that, through this visit, the two countries could start a new era that replaces competition with coordination in bilateral ties.

Japan and China, as neighbors, should uphold the spirit of mutual beneficial cooperation and posing no threat to each other, as well as promote bilateral relations under the consensuses reached in the four political documents, Abe said.

Japan welcomes and supports China to boost opening-up, and it would like to participate in the process of China's development, he said.

Abe also said Japan would like to make joint efforts with China to strengthen high-level exchanges, properly handle disputes and promote regional peace and prosperity.

Calling the BRI a proposal with potential, Abe said Japan would like to expand cooperation with China in all areas.