Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday expressed hopes that Japan and China will strengthen their relationship of trust through economic exchanges.

“Economic exchanges form the foundation of ties between Japan and China and have contributed significantly to the development of both sides,” Kishida said in a video message sent to a meeting in Tokyo of business leaders from the two countries.

In a speech, Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, called on Japan and China to promote dialogue at various levels to address a range of challenges facing the two countries.

Former Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan also sent a video message to the meeting, co-hosted by Keidanren and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, a think tank in Beijing.

JIJI Press