TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed on Monday a planned visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We would like to advance cooperation to make a state visit to Japan by President Xi expected for next spring a meaningful one fit for the new era" of Japan-China relations, Abe told Wang at their meeting held at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, while touching on a trilateral summit among Japan, China and South Korea slated for late next month in China.

Wang said that the three-way-summit will also be an important opportunity of high-level interaction between China and Japan.

Abe stressed the importance for a free and open Hong Kong to prosper under the one country, two systems policy. Wang reiterated China's stance of upholding the policy.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also had a discussion with Wang at the prime minister's office.

Later on Monday, Wang will hold a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo, where they are expected to agree on restarting exports of Japanese beef to China.

The two foreign ministers co-chaired on Monday the first meeting of a Japan-China high-level dialogue on personnel and cultural exchanges, which focuses on promoting interaction between the Asian neighbors partly through tourism.

"The groundwork has been laid further to build Japan-China ties fit for the new era of the two countries in a variety of fields," Motegi said at the outset of the meeting.

Noting that common cultural traditions in China and Japan make their citizens feel very close, Wang said that he would like to help promote exchanges and interaction between the neighboring states.

JIJI Press