China, Japan must 'properly handle differences', Xi tells Kishida: state media

BEIJING — China and Japan must "properly manage" their differences, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a meeting in California, state media reported Friday.

Beijing and Tokyo must "follow the trend of the times, focus on common interests, properly handle differences," Xi told Kishida in San Francisco, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinese leader said the two nations must "commit themselves to building a Sino-Japanese relationship that meets the requirements of the new era".

"Peaceful coexistence, generational friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common development are the right direction in the fundamental interests of the Chinese and Japanese peoples," Xi said.

Since establishing ties, Xi said that "relations between the two countries, despite the stormy times, have maintained the momentum of development, bringing benefits to the people of the two countries".

They "also play a positive role in promoting peace, development and prosperity in the region", he added.

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© Agence France-Presse

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