The seven Japan-China Friendship groups held a banquet for welcoming Wang Yi, the new Chinese ambassador to Japan on the evening of Sept 24 in Tokyo. Wang Yi stressed in expressing his appreciation by saying that the Sino-Japanese relations at present is facing a perspective for big development but there's a serious political barrier ahead.

Wang Yi said, the important speech by Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China epitomized China's policy towards Japan. It has been carried out by Chinese leaders in succession, elucidating very clearly the orientation for the development of Sino-Japanese relations in the future when he met Yohei Kono, Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives.

To promote the stable and healthy development of the Sino-Japanese relations, the first thing, that must be adhered to, is the principle of the Sino-Japanese Joint Communique, the three political documents, he said. The three documents have summed up the experiences both positive and negative governing the Sino-Japanese relations, and defined the principle for handling correctly the problem left over in history and the Taiwan issue. They have formed the important basis for Sino-Japanese relations, which should in no time be violated and wavered.

Wang Yi put forward the three orientations for both parties of China and Japan to make joint efforts. The first is "to face the future with the history as a mirror". There witnessed an exchange history of some 2000 years between China and Japan. This is unprecedented in world history, from which we should draw some beneficial lessons and experiences, making them to be a motive force to push ahead the relations between the two countries. The correct attitude is: to face squarely the historical facts, to oppose the words and deeds for embellishing invasion and do nothing to injure the feelings of the people of the war-victim country. And on that basis it is to carry on further the tradition of friendship for opening up the future relations between the two countries.

The second is "to cooperate for mutual benefits and be friends to each other from generation to generation". There's only one perspective for Sino-Japanese relations, i.e. to seek for friendship from generation to generation. We must not only improve and maintain the friendly feelings of the peoples between the two countries but also strengthen the cooperation for win-win mutual benefits so as to add some new connotations to the friendship for generations to come.

The third is the "peaceful development to jointly rejuvenate Asia". After the Second World War, Japan chose the way for peaceful development, and China too will persist in peaceful development. This has made us possible to contribute things important to the civilization and prosperity in Asia, thereby making the rejuvenation of Asia the new strategic interests common for the two countries of China and Japan.

To stick to one basis, open up three orientations and pool in efforts from all aspects of life, stressed Wang Yi, this is the way to construct the big framework for a long and stable relation between China and Japan. Wang Yi praised the seven Japanese�CChina Friendship Groups for their outstanding contributions to the recovery and development of the Sino-Japanese relations, and stressed that the Sino-Japanese relations are faced with a prospect for big development but still has a serious political barrier ahead. It is hoped that all groups will, setting out from the common interests of the peoples of the two countries, make new contributions to the improvement and development of the Sino-Japanese relations.

The responsible persons of the seven Japan-China Friendship Groups all made their respective speeches, emphasizing that the Japan-China friendship caters to the interests of both parties and are willing to make efforts for the improvement and development of the relations between Japan and China.

By People's Daily Online