China, Japan bear shared responsibility of pushing for all-round progress in bilateral ties: Chinese FM

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Pushing for all-round progress in China-Japan relations is a shared responsibility for the two neighboring Asian countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart as the two top diplomats met Monday in New York.

During talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, expressed hope that Tokyo will work with Beijing to keep to the right direction in growing their relationship, as defined as strategic and mutually beneficial relations.

Wang urged the Japanese side to join China in following through on the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and pushing for the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

For her part, Kamikawa said that Japan attaches importance to developing relations with China and that in the face of rising risks and challenges in the international landscape, Japan and China should maintain communication and dialogue in various fields and at all levels through consultation and jointly safeguard regional peace and development.

She voiced hope that China will properly handle the recent attack on a Japanese student in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and ensure the safety of the Japanese people in China as the important foundation of bilateral relations lies in people-to-people exchanges.

Wang stressed that China is justified to oppose the discharge of contaminated water from Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Since it has agreed to accept long-term international monitoring arrangements and independent sampling monitoring by stakeholders such as China, Japan should stick to its word and refrain from muddying the issue, Wang said.

As for the incident in Shenzhen, Wang said it was a single case which China will investigate and handle in accordance with law. China will, as always, protect the safety of all foreign citizens in China according to law.

The Japanese side should take a calm and rational approach toward the case instead of politicizing and amplifying the issue, Wang told Kamikawa.