Officials and experts from China and Japan have reached agreements that the two countries should strengthen cooperation more than ever, especially in the post-pandemic era, China News Agency reports.
China and Japan share broad common interests, despite some contradictions and differences which do exist, said State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
"For the common parts, we must continue to expand and make them a solid bond that connects the two sides. Regarding the differences and sensitive issues, we should put them in an appropriate position with constructive management and control," he said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all mankind lives in a community with a shared future, and it has once again demonstrated the traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Japan, Wang added.
The senior diplomat made the remarks by video during the opening ceremony of the 16th Beijing-Tokyo Forum on Monday.
This year, the event focused on the international order in the post-pandemic era, discussing how to build Sino-Japanese relations that meet the requirements of the times and to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation. It was held simultaneously in Beijing and Tokyo.
As the second-and third-largest economies in the world, China and Japan should focus on future cooperation in various aspects, said Xu Lin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office.
"China and Japan should continue to work together to fight the pandemic, exchange information in a timely manner, carry out cooperation in medical drugs, and safeguard the health of the people of the two countries," he said.
Xu also said both should take the opportunity of jointly responding to the pandemic as a chance to actively promote the upgrading of economic cooperation between China and Japan. "We should seize the opportunity to promote the development in a wide range of fields such as digital economy, e-commerce, smart cities, energy conservation and environmental protection, medical and healthcare."