Wu Bangguo, China's top legislator, said that developing good neighborly ties is the only choice that conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples.

Wu made the remarks Sunday when meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said Abe's visit attracted world attention, especially from the Japanese and Chinese people.

"I hope the stalemate in Chinese-Japanese relations will come to an end and I believe this visit will turn over a new page for Chinese-Japanese ties," Wu said.

Abe, who took office on September 26, is the first Japanese postwar prime minister who chose China as the destination of his first official overseas trip.

He is also the first Japanese leader visiting China in five years as top-level visits had been halted because of Abe's predecessor Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 class-A war criminals in WWII are honored along with Japan's war dead.

Abe told Wu that this visit indicated both Japan and China attached "extreme importance" to bilateral ties.

Wu said China and Japan are big nations and also neighbors. "You can choose friends but cannot choose neighbors." So, to develop good neighborly ties is the only choice that conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples, which meanwhile benefits peace, stability and development in Asia and the whole world as well.

Wu urged the two countries to look at bilateral relations in a long and strategic perspective.

The two sides should continue to "take history as a mirror and look into the future," abide by the principles set in the three Sino-Japanese political documents, and steer the direction of bilateral relations and settle history problems and the Taiwan issue properly, he said.

Wu said the non-governmental friendship between the two countries has been an important guarantee for the development of bilateral relations and he hopes China and Japan should promote exchanges in non-governmental and cultural fields and the exchanges between youths.

Wu said the NPC has established a regular exchange mechanism with its Japanese counterpart and he hopes this channel can play its due role in promoting bilateral relations.

Abe said to promote the understanding and trust between the peoples of the two countries is the foundation for bilateral relations and the Japanese side is glad to see frequent exchanges between the parliamentary organizations of the two countries.

The Japanese side hopes to promote understanding between the peoples and bilateral relations to a higher level, Abe said.

Source: Xinhua