Japanese and Chinese Companies To Strengthen Collaboration in Projects of Third Countries

PRESS RELEASE

Japanese and Chinese Companies To Strengthen Collaboration in Projects of Third Countries

Nov. 3, 2016 (EIRNS)—In a meeting which indicates further moves by Japan to break out of the Obama confrontation with China, leaders from Japanese and Chinese companies met for two days in Beijing. A joint statement has been issued that says that they will further enhance collaboration on projects in third countries, including infrastructure development in Asia and the promotion of the One Belt, One Road policy, Japan’s JIJI news agency reported today. This meeting took place after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Xi Jinping had agreed in September that strong cooperation between the world’s second-and third-largest economies is vital not only for their prosperity but also for that of the rest of the world, The Japan Times noted.

At the conference, two major issues were addressed.The first was the necessity to improve China-Japan relations and the other objective was to push strong collaboration between the Japan-led Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in developing infrastructure of third countries. On Nov. 2, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and former Chinese Vice-Prime Minister Zeng Peiyan had addressed the assembled businessmen. On that occasion, Li said:

"Frankly speaking, the foundation of China-Japan relations is not solid enough, although exchanges and cooperation in a range of fields have been on the rise.... It is necessary for both sides to make more and more efforts,"

he added. Addressing the same issue, Zeng told the meeting that

"China-Japan relations are now in the middle of toiling up a mountain path. If not moving forward, they could come down, and they are at a crucial period,"

Japan Times reported.

The meeting, attended by some 60 corporate executives, was arranged by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), Japan’s largest business lobby, and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. Among those who attended the conference were Canon Inc., Nomura Holdings Inc., Dongfeng Motor Corp., and Bank of China Ltd. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda was also there. The delegation from Tokyo was headed by Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of the Keidanren business lobby, The Japan Times report indicates.