The national flags of China and Japan are displayed at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on May 30, 2010. (PHOTO / AFP)

BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday exchanged congratulations on the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan.

In his message, Li said that 45 years ago, the older generation of leaders and statesmen from both countries made a strategic decision to sign the treaty, which has charted the course for peaceful coexistence and everlasting friendship between the two neighbors in legal terms with an emphasis on opposing hegemonism, and has become an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations.

Over the past 45 years, Li said, China-Japan relations have made hard-won progress, which has enhanced the well-being of the two peoples and made contributions to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity

Over the past 45 years, Li said, China-Japan relations have made hard-won progress, which has enhanced the well-being of the two peoples and made contributions to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

China, he said, is willing to work with Japan to relive the spirit of the treaty, stay the course in steering bilateral relations, and commit to building China-Japan relations suited to the requirements of the new era.

In his message, Kishida said that the treaty stipulated the development of bilateral relations featuring lasting peace and friendship, which has, over the past 45 years, served as a guidance for the two sides, laid the foundation for the growth of bilateral ties and safeguarded and advanced their peaceful and friendly relationship.

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Shouldering an important responsibility of maintaining regional and world peace and prosperity, Japan and China share cooperation potential in a wide range of fields, Kishida said, adding that it is significant for the two sides to work together to build a constructive and stable Japan-China relationship.

The Japanese side is willing to relive the spirit of the treaty with China and push for greater progress in Japan-China relations, Kishida said. 

The Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers also exchanged congratulations on Monday to mark the treaty’s anniversary.

In his message, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that 45 years ago, China and Japan signed the treaty, which set up another important milestone for bilateral relations after the normalization of their diplomatic relations.

Over the past 45 years, despite ups and downs in China-Japan relations, peace, friendship and cooperation have always been the aspirations of the two peoples and the only right choice that serves the interests of both sides, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

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China, he said, is ready to work with Japan to relive the original aspiration of the treaty, uphold the spirit of peaceful coexistence, lasting friendship and opposition to hegemony, follow through on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and make unremitting efforts to build China-Japan relations suited to the requirements of the new era.

In her message, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said that on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the treaty, the two sides should relive the original aspiration of their older generation of leaders who have committed to the development of bilateral relations.

As close neighbors, Japan and China enjoy cooperation potential in a wide range of fields, said Kamikawa, adding that both sides should conduct dialogues at various levels on bilateral and global issues and strive to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations in line with the spirit of the treaty.