Koizumi meets People's Daily delegation

Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi met the Chinese delegation to the Tenth China-Japan Economic Symposium headed by Wang Chen, President of the People's Daily, on June 2 at his official residence and the two sides exchanged candid and friendly talks.

During the meeting Prime Minister Koizumi extended his congratulations to the success of the economic symposium. He said China's economy is growing rapidly and China is to host the Olympic Games in 2008 and Shanghai Expo in 2010. He believes the development of China will be better and better. The recent climbing trend of the Japanese economy is partly due to the drive of the Chinese economy. He stressed that he has for years disagreed with the tone of the so-called "China Threat" theory and said on several occasions that China's development is an opportunity but not a threat. This prediction is becoming true.

When talking about exchange rates of the Chinese currency, Koizumi said he thinks matters concerning currency should be decided by the country itself according to its own situation. After reviewing the development course of the Japanese economy over the past 20 years, he said since 1980s Japanese Yen has kept on appreciating from the rate of US$1 to 360 Yen to that of US$1 to around 108 Yen. The appreciation of Japanese Yen did have a great impact on many companies. Many people think the appreciation of Yen had a blow on Japan's export. Of course there are some large exporters such as Toyota and Canon, which became companies with good profits in the process. The reason was because they carried out adventurous reforms, he said.

When talking about how to develop Sino-Japanese relations Koizumi said Japan and China have long history of exchanges in various aspects. Despite the difference of situations in the two countries Japan and China should establish a relationship oriented toward the future. There should be a 21st century committee between Japan and China, which would be a great service to promoting Japan-China relationship in the future, added Koizumi.

During the meeting Wang Chen briefed Koizumi on the successful holding of the Tenth China-Japan Economic Symposium and said the economies of China and Japan indeed are highly complimentary. In the spirit of drawing lessons from history and looking forward to the future and properly handling the existing problems between the two countries the cause of China-Japan friendship and cooperation will have further and greater development.

Also present at the meeting were Chinese speakers at the Tenth China-Japan Economic Symposium including Su Ning, deputy governor of People's Bank of China, Zhang Yunling, director-general of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Gao Dekang, president of Bosideng Corporation.

By People's Daily Online