Xi Jinping: "Bilateral Relations Should Move in the Right Direction"... Takaichi: "Hope to Deepen Ties" [Gyeongju APEC]

Xi Jinping and Sanae Takaichi Hold First Summit
Express Commitment to Dialogue and Cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed their commitment to improving bilateral relations and enhancing mutual cooperation during a summit held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on the afternoon of October 31. This marks the first summit between the two leaders, and it is the first time in about a year that President Xi has held talks with a Japanese prime minister.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Photo by Yonhap News

According to reports from China's state-run Xinhua News Agency and Japan's NHK, President Xi and Prime Minister Takaichi held a China-Japan summit meeting in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

During his opening remarks at the summit, President Xi stated, "I am prepared to maintain communication with Prime Minister Takaichi to ensure that China-Japan relations move in the right direction," adding, "China will work with Japan to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship that meets the demands of the new era."

Prime Minister Takaichi also said, "I hope to comprehensively advance a mutually beneficial strategic relationship with China and build a constructive and stable relationship," emphasizing, "Both countries have an important responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region and the international community." The mutually beneficial strategic relationship is a basic principle of bilateral ties, first agreed upon during a summit between former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former Chinese President Hu Jintao when Abe visited China in 2006.

Prime Minister Takaichi further stated, "There are also pending issues and challenges between the two countries," adding, "I hope to achieve concrete results."

According to Japan's Kyodo News, the China-Japan summit on this day concluded in about 30 minutes.