Address by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Kono
During His Visit to the People's Republic of China
(Summary)

Seeking a True Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation

30 August 2000, 10:30
Venue: Central Party School of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China

1. Japan and China: The Present Situation and Challenges We Face

• President Jiang Zemin's official visit to Japan in 1998 serves as opportunity for building the framework for the Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation for Peace and Development.
  -Steady promotion of the 33 cooperative projects
• At the same time, mutual understanding among both peoples remains insufficient.
  -China: Sense of caution over Japan's "military expansion" and "revival of militarism."
  -Japan: Concerns over China's missile development, increased military expenditure
• Importance of mutual exchange among all sectors of society
  -Initiation of youth exchanges, Chinese group tours to Japan, etc.
  -Japan-China Joint Communique the starting point for Japan-China relations. (With regard to the Taiwan issue, the Government of Japan observes the Japan-China Joint Communique of 1972.)

2. Building a True Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation Toward the 21st Century

• Following the respective visits to Japan and China by President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, it is vital to give further momentum to Japan-China relations toward the 21st century with the visit to Japan of Premier Zhu Rhongji.
• In order to further deepen and broaden Japan-China relations, Japan proposes the following.
• First, toward further building confidence:
  1. Creation of a system for nipping individual issues in the bud
     -Creation of a framework for mutual notification of marine research vessels, one of the achievements of my visit to China, and work to establish a hotline
  2. There will be no change in Japan's basic stance toward providing ODA to China, but there is a need for further understanding and support from both peoples.
• Second, to look at Japan-China relations from a global perspective, and to place further importance on Japan-China cooperation in multilateral areas. Specifically, Japan proposes initiatives in three areas ("Kono Initiative").
  1. Peace and stability of Northeast Asia
     -Strengthening the framework for dialogue in Northeast Asia (six-party (Japan, China, U.S. Russia, Republic of Korea, North Korea) meeting, etc.)
     (Move from areas such as environment, economics and human resources exchange to comprehensive dialogue in the future.)
  2. Sustainable economic development of Asia
     - Environment, Eurasian Land-Bridge, Mekong River Basin development, etc.
  3. Cooperation in global issues
     -China's accession to the WTO, climate change, intellectual exchange in the field of IT
     -Arms control, arms reduction, non-proliferation, United Nations reform, conflict prevention