On May 18, 2005, Vice Premier Wu Yi of the State Council of China, who was paying a visit to Japan and attending the Aichi World Expo, met with Minister Shoichi Nakagawa of Economy, Trade and Industry and Minister Kazuo Kitagawa of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Japan in Nagoya.

Wu Yi expressed appreciation for Japan's support to China's participation in Aichi World Expo and wished the Expo a success. She said that the economies of China and Japan are highly complementary and the two countries are important economic and trade partners. The bilateral economic and trade cooperation enjoys geographic advantages and mutual complementarities. China hopes to learn from Japan's advanced technologies and development experience and at the same time China's development has provided opportunities for Japan's economic growth.

Wu indicated that China-Japan relationship has suffered severe difficulties in the process of development. The cooperation between both countries and the emotions of the two peoples are restrained, which is not conducive to the interest of any side. We should give priority to the fundamental interests of the two peoples, proceed from the long-term and strategic perspectives, handle various problems faced by both countries carefully and properly and elaborately maintain the hard-won overall situation of China-Japan friendliness. The purpose of her visit is to implement the common consensus reached by President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on promoting the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, drive the bilateral relations to overcome difficulties and put it on the road of healthy and stable development again.

Shoichi Nakagawa noted that Japan and China are close neighbors separated by a narrow strip of water. The complementary and interdependent economic and trade relations between the two countries have been formed with high level of cooperation. There are now over 20 thousand Japanese companies investing in China, which implies that the economic and trade cooperation between China and Japan is very important. The Japanese side hopes to expand the economic and trade cooperation with China and strengthen the cooperation in the field of energy resources, environment protection, and especially energy saving.

Kazuo Kitagawa said that Japan-China relationship is of great importance whether from the realistic or the long-term perspective and must be developed well. Therefore exchanges should be strengthened between the two peoples, especially the young people. The Japanese side will make concrete efforts to provide convenience for expanding the communications between the two peoples.

On the same day, Wu Yi attended the 21st Century Urban Development Forum co-organized by related departments of the two governments and delivered a keynote speech in which she gave an overview on the status quo and strategy of urban development in China. In addition, she also met with Sen Soshitsu, Grand Master of the Urasenke tradition of tea, and watched his tea ceremony performance.

On May 17, Wu Yi met with Shoichiro Toyoda, Chairman of Japan-China Investment Promotion Organization and other people from industrial and commercial circles of Japan.