国内英语新闻:Senior CPC official meets leader of Japan's Komeito Party

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Friday met here with Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Japan's Komeito Party, a junior coalition partner of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, expressed appreciation to the Komeito Party for its long-term commitment to China-Japan friendship.

Last November, China and Japan reached a four-point principled agreement to improve bilateral ties.

The overall atmosphere of China-Japan relations has been improved since then, said Liu.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi just visited Japan this week and co-chaired the second China-Japan high-level political dialogue with Shotaro Yachi, national security adviser to Abe.

During his stay in Tokyo, Yang also met with Abe and held talks with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, General Council Chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai and former prime minister Yasuo Fukuda.

China is willing to work with Japan to adhere to the path of peaceful development, properly address historical issues, cultivate friendship between the two peoples and strengthen pragmatic cooperation, so as to promote long-lasting friendship between the two countries as well as common prosperity in Asia, said Liu.

The CPC is willing to enhance multi-level exchanges with the Komeito Party and play a leading role in the improvement and development of bilateral ties, he said.

Yamaguchi said there is an upturn in the development of Japan-China relations.

The Komeito Party has always attached great importance to Japan-China friendship and is ready to push forward the stable development of bilateral ties, he said.

The Komeito Party will continue to play an important role in promoting people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in all areas, the party's leader said.

Yamaguchi is attending the Asian Political Parties' Special Conference on the Silk Road held by the CPC, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday and runs through Friday.