Efforts should be made to improve bilateral relations, Premier Li Keqiang said during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on July 15.

Premier Li noted that China-Japan relations had been improved in recent years but the process was slow and often disturbed by complex factors. Based on a high sense of responsibility and long term strategic views, both sides should make efforts to improve bilateral relations in the next stage.

Premier Li mentioned four points to improve the relations between China and Japan:

Keep the right direction of bilateral relations. Developing healthy and stable China-Japan relations is always the policy orientation to which China adheres. China hopes Japan abides by the four political documents and promotes friendly policies towards China on the basis of the spirit of “drawing lessons from history and facing up to the future.” China also hopes Japan will make joint efforts to practice the consensus that the two countries are cooperation partners, and not pose a threat to each other.

Properly manage and control disagreements and differences. On the issue of the South China Sea, China’s position is completely in line with international law as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. As a state not involved in the South China Sea issue, Japan should exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in the issue. On the East China Sea issue, the Premier also urged Japan to enhance communication through dialogue and consultation based on a four-point principled consensus.

Keep the momentum of dialogue and cooperation. On the basis of equality and mutual respect, both sides should gradually resume dialogue and communication to improve bilateral relations. As two major world economies, China and Japan should play to their advantages and strengthen economic cooperation.

Strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs. Both sides should enhance interaction under mechanisms such as the Asia-Europe Meeting summit and G20 and carry out consultation and cooperation in international counter-terrorism.

Abe said that despite difficulties in China-Japan relations, Japan is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China, properly manage differences and improve bilateral relations based on the goal to establish China-Japan strategic mutual relations.

Japan appreciates China’s efforts to promote economic structural transformation and adjustment and hopes both sides can restart high level economic dialogues and promote cooperation in the sectors of finance, energy saving and environment protection, he said.

Japan is willing to make contributions for China’s successful holding of G20 Summit in Hangzhou and to jointly prevent a crisis in the world economy, Abe said. Japan would also like to carry out counter-terrorism consultation with China and make joint efforts with international society to cope with the threat of global terrorism, he added.