On December 26, 2006, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Wu Bangguo and Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong met respectively with Speaker of House of Representatives of Japan Yohei Kono, who is also Chairman of the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, at the Great Hall of the People.

Wu said with the joint efforts of both sides, the current Sino-Japanese ties have witnessed a sound momentum of improvement and development. To develop the good-neighborly friendly cooperation not only complies with the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, but is also of great significance to peace, stability and development of Asia and the world at large, Wu said. He said China will make joint efforts with Japan to seize the opportunity to carry out the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries and comprehensively advance and deepen inter-governmental, inter-parliamentary, party-to-party and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. "The sensitive issues in bilateral ties should be handled properly to consolidate the political foundation of China-Japan relations and add momentum to the healthy and sustained development of bilateral ties," he said.

Wu said that he hopes the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade, under the leadership of its chairman Kono, will play a unique role in deepening the traditional friendship and enhancing pragmatic cooperation between the two peoples.

Wu and Kono pledged to make full use of the regular exchange mechanism to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two parliaments in all areas and at multiple levels so as to contribute to the good-neighborly friendly cooperation.

Zeng hailed the sound situation in the overall development of Sino-Japanese ties, adding that bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the areas of politics, economy, and security, as well as people-to-people contacts, have made progress. "The improvement and development of China-Japan relations are hard-won," said Zeng. To ensure the sustained, sound and steady development of bilateral ties, Zeng suggested both sides make joint efforts to advance mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas and expand common interest. The two countries should abide by the principles and spirit in the three political documents including the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement to safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties. Zeng also urged both sides to cement friendship between the two peoples, strive to cultivate successors to the friendship cause and approach bilateral ties from a broad perspective of promoting peace, stability and development in Asia.

Kono said he will make continued efforts to facilitate friendship and trade ties between Japan and China.