First Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue
Press Communiqué
December 2, 2007
Japanese
I. Overview
1. The First Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue was held in Beijing on December 1, 2007. The Japanese side was chaired by Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura and included Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga; Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi; Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita; and Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Hiroko Ota. The Chinese side was chaired by Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan, and included Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, State Development and Reform Commission Chairman Ma Kai, Finance Minister Xie Xuren, Commerce Vice-Minister Chen Deming, Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai, State Environmental Protection Administration Minister Zhou Shengxian, and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Minister Li Changjiang. On December 2, Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, met with the participating ministers of Japan.
2. In light of the growing interdependence of the Japanese and Chinese economies and the importance of the two economies in the Asian and global economies, the participating ministers of both countries deepened their mutual understanding by engaging in candid discussions on macroeconomic issues pertaining to Japan and China, trade and investment related issues, environment and energy related issues including the global climate change, and economic issues concerning the regional and international community.
3. The Chinese side expressed its higher appreciation for the contributions made to China's economic development through the economic cooperation provided to China by the Japanese government and through bilateral private-sector economic exchange. The Japanese side highly valued the positive effects of Chinese economic development on the Japanese economy. The two sides confirmed that their two economies are in a "win-win" relationship.
4. In light of the growing area of responsibilities shouldered by the two countries in the international community, the two sides shared the view to further contribute to sustainable development of the world economy by promoting Japan-China economic relations and the mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests through this High-Level Economic Dialogue. Furthermore, the two sides confirmed that the Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue was an effective instrument for the pursuit of these objectives and shared the view to continue this Dialogue in the future.
5. The two sides shared the view on holding the next High-Level Economic Dialogue in Tokyo by the end of 2008.
II. Macroeconomic Issues Pertaining to Japan and China
Recognizing the state that interdependence between Japanese and Chinese economies is continuously deepening and that the two economies are now indispensable to each other, the two sides discussed macroeconomic policies of Japan and China as follows.
1. In light of the impacts of the Japanese and Chinese economies on the global economy, the two sides confirmed that they would pursue responsible economic policy management for the global economy.
2. The Chinese side recognized that Japan's experiences and the lessons learned, including those of its bubble economy brought about by excess liquidity, are valuable as references. The Japanese side welcomed the China's decision to increase the flexibility of the renminbi and expressed its hope that China would make efforts to allow an accelerated appreciation of the renminbi's effective exchange rate.
3. The Chinese side stressed that it needed to promote development with a balance of domestic consumption, investment and exports, and it presented relevant measures to achieve it. The Chinese side recognized that Japan's experiences in this area be helpful. The two sides agreed that they should continue to strengthen their exchange.
III. Cooperation in the Areas of Climate Change, Environmental Protection, and Energy
(Climate Change)
1. For the prevention of global warming, the two sides shared the view on actively participating in the development of an effective framework for 2013 and beyond to be created under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in which all major economies will participate in a more responsible manner. In this regard, the Japanese side explained the importance of establishing a new forum for negotiating this matter at the Bali COP, and the Chinese side stated that it would consider the Japanese side's views.
2. The two sides confirmed the effectiveness of the sectoral approach in government and private-sector cooperation being pursued by the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate (APP). For effectively promoting countermeasures to global warming, the two sides shared the view that it would be important to include the sectoral approach in future frameworks.
3. The two sides shared the view on promoting undertakings related to co-benefit approaches that would contribute to countermeasures for both pollution and global warming.
(Cooperation in Environmental Protection)
4. Positively evaluating past activities, the two sides shared the view on promoting further cooperation in the following matters:
- Building and expanding an experimental model for a recycling economy zone,
- Improving water quality in the Yangtze River basin and other important water systems,
- Countermeasures to atmospheric pollution, and
- Prevention of illegal transboundary movement of waste.
5. The two sides shared the view on promoting education for sustainable development as well as environmental education in their respective institutions for higher education.
6. The Chinese side expressed its intent to further utilize the Sino-Japan Friendship Center for Environmental Protection. The Japanese side stated that it would cooperate as much as possible on this matter.
7. The two sides positively evaluated the steady cooperative activities for forests and forestry through intergovernmental cooperation and the Japan-China Board of Assistance to Greening Activities, and shared the view to promote the implementation of sustainable forestry management.
8. The two sides shared the view on undertaking the exchange of information and technologies for the development of biomass use.
(Energy)
9. The two sides confirmed the progress being made in specific areas of cooperation, including energy conservation, based on "the Joint Statement by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the People's Republic of China's State Development and Reform Commission on Enhancement of Cooperation between Japan and the People's Republic of China in the Energy Field", and agreed on continuing to promote cooperation in this field.
10. The Chinese side stated that it would promote energy conservation. To support the appropriate enforcement of the law, the Japanese side stated that it would continue to implement programs for the acceptance of trainees.
11. The Japanese side proposed to implement programs for the acceptance of trainees designed to contribute to the achievement of energy conservation goals agreed upon in multilateral frameworks and the formulation of action plans. The Chinese side stated that it would actively participate in such programs. The two sides shared the view that such undertakings would contribute to the resolution of environmental and climate change problems.
12. The two sides shared the view on promoting undertakings for achieving results under the Japan-China Energy Conservation and Environmental Business Promotion Model Project.
13. The two sides shared the view on continuing to promote cooperation pertaining to technologies for the clean use of coal, and technologies for production and safety in coal mining. At the same time, the Japanese side emphasized the importance of maintaining stable trade in coal between the two countries.
IV. Issues Related to Japan-China Trade and Investment
(Protection of Intellectual Property Rights)
1. The two sides shared the view on the continued dispatch of the Joint Government and Private-Sector Mission of Japan for the Protection of Intellectual Property to China and on the deepening of bilateral cooperation based this activity.
2. The two sides shared the view on promoting bilateral cooperation during China's revision of its major laws and regulations concerning intellectual property rights.
3. For strengthening cooperation in the enforcement of intellectual property, the two sides shared the view on continuing discussions regarding measures to promote intellectual property exchange and cooperation in the regions under the leadership of central administrative agencies and the provision of information related to intellectual property infringements.
4. The two sides confirmed that they would actively participate in the East Asia Plant Variety Protection Forum for strengthening and harmonizing plant variety protection systems.
5. The two sides shared the view on continued cooperation for human resources development in the area of intellectual property rights.
(Trade)
6. The Chinese side stated its hope that Japan would recognize China's full market economy status in WTO as soon as possible.
7. The Chinese side stated that it places importance on food and product safety. The two sides stated that they would continue to promote cooperation and capacity building in the area of food and product safety.
8. The two sides shared the view on examining and resolving, through technical consultations, trade issues related to items of interest to both countries-namely, the export to Japan of Chinese pumpkins and heat-processed meat and its products derived from cloven-hoofed animals as well as the export to China of Japanese rice-by the end of March 2008. The issue of fresh poultry meat produced in China will be examined and resolved after the OIE code on the guideline for compartmentalization is established. The two sides shared the view on achieving smooth trade by further strengthening technical exchange and cooperation regarding quarantine for both countries' agricultural product exports in the future
(Cooperation in High-Tech Fields)
9. The two sides will establish "Japan-China Technology Trade Guidelines" in order to deepen economic trade cooperation between Japan and China and further expand their technology cooperation and product trade. The two sides will establish "a working group for facilitating technology trade between Japan and China."
(Export Control)
10. Japan and China will promote discussions to further advance mutual understanding and cooperation regarding matters of interest, including export control systems, end-user lists, and the development and enforcement of laws.
(Cooperation between Small and Medium Enterprises)
11. The two sides gave high praise for the Fourth China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair which the two nations cosponsored, and agreed on promoting cooperation among small and medium enterprises in their two countries.
(Miscellaneous)
12. The two sides confirmed the significance of holding Japan-China dialogues on development assistance to third countries, and shared the view on continuing such dialogues in the future.
13. The two sides positively evaluated their cooperation in the area of agriculture, including the Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Extension Service, and shared the view on further promoting such cooperation.
14. The Japanese side pointed to the significance of China's participation in the Energy Charter Treaty.
15. The two sides released "the Medium- to Long-Range Vision on Japan-China Economic and Trade Cooperation."
16. The two sides shared the view on continuing to jointly compile "Logistics and Distribution Report".
V. Regional and International Economic Issues
(WTO)
1. The two sides shared the view on cooperating for the early conclusion of the WTO Round, as confirmed at the East Asia Summit Meeting.
(East Asian Regional Economic Cooperation)
2. The two sides shared the view on further promoting cooperation toward the economic integration of the East Asia region, including the East Asian Free Trade Agreement (EAFTA), the Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA), and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
(East Asian Regional Financial Cooperation)
3. The two sides expressed the intention to further enhance regional financial cooperation such as the Asian Bond Markets Initiative and the multilateralization of the Chiang Mai Initiative.
VI. Others
(Responding to Illicit Economic Transactions)
1. The two sides confirmed the significance of promoting cooperation for preventing the abuse of international financial and trade systems for such illicit economic transactions as money laundering, financing of terrorism, and the smuggling of socially harmful goods.
(African Development)
2. The two sides shared the recognition of the importance of African development and decided to continue the dialogue. In this regard, the Chinese side expressed its intent to seriously consider sending a delegation to TICAD IV scheduled to be held in Japan next year.
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