BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Lawmakers from China's National People's Congress (NPC) and Japan's House of Representatives agreed on Monday to advance the healthy and stable development of bilateral strategic and mutually beneficial relations.
The pledge came out of the seventh meeting of a cooperation committee between the NPC, China's top legislative body, and the House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet.
Li Jianguo, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, and Kodaira Tadamasa, the head of the Japanese delegation, co-chaired the meeting, according to a news release from the NPC.
The two sides conducted extensive and in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations, legislative exchanges, economic and trade cooperation, energy conservation and environmental protection, post-disaster reconstruction, cultural exchanges as well as international and regional issues of common concern.
The two sides agreed that the stable, sound and long-term development of bilateral ties was in the fundamental interests of both countries and conducive to the peace and prosperity of the region as well as of the world at large.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The two sides are ready to seize the opportunity to implement consensuses reached by both leaders to increase political mutual trust, improve people's feelings for each other, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and properly handle sensitive issues, so as to push bilateral relations to a new high, according to the news release.
The two sides fully recognized the positive role played by legislative exchanges in promoting the improvement and development of China-Japan relations.
They agreed to continually consolidate and deepen regular legislative exchanges, so as to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between lawmakers of the two countries.
The two sides decided to hold the eighth meeting of the parliamentary exchange mechanism in Japan next year.
While meeting with the Japanese lawmakers, China's top legislator Wu Bangguo hailed the sound momentum of current China-Japan relations. During Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's successful recent visit to China, the two state leaders reached important consensus on boosting bilateral strategic relations of mutual benefit.
Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the two countries' parliamentary exchanges, an important part of overall ties, have seen rapid increases and have made a positive contribution to China-Japan relations.
The cooperation committee between the NPC and the Japanese Diet has become an effective platform for enhanced bilateral dialogues, mutual understanding and win-win cooperation, he said.
Wu called for joint efforts to take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan ties to improve regular exchange mechanisms, and cement exchanges among governments, parliaments, localities and youth.
He also urged both sides to abide by the principles of the four China-Japan political documents to push forward bilateral ties.
In response, Kodaira Tadamasa told Wu that the Japanese side was ready to join hands with China to take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary to further bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various areas.
The House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet hopes to make its contribution in this regard, he added.