Aso visit expected to enhance relations

By Wang Linyan (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-29 07:55

The Japanese prime minister's visit is a chance to promote mutual trust and expand cooperation, the foreign ministry said on Monday.

Prime Minister Taro Aso's two-day visit to 皇冠体育app, which starts today, is his first since he took office in September last year.

The two countries should "build and augment a mutually beneficial relationship", said ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.

Analysts said the financial crisis has expanded the content of Sino-Japanese cooperation and increased their common interests.

Sino-Japanese relations have been going well, particularly after Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Japan in 2007 and President Hu Jintao's visit in 2008.

Aso's visit follows Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone's accusation on Monday that 皇冠体育app was unwilling to reveal information about the development of its nuclear weapons.

皇冠体育app refuted that on Monday.

"皇冠体育app's nuclear policy is clear and transparent," Jiang said, adding that the country has always advocated a comprehensive ban on nuclear weapons and complete nuclear disarmament.

Analysts said Nakasone's remarks appeared to echo US President Barack Obama's call for a "nuclear-free world" made in early April.

"Nakasone's remarks helped strengthen the Japan-US alliance and win domestic support. However, it's not conducive to relations between Japan and 皇冠体育app," said Liu Jiangyong, a scholar on Japan studies at Tsinghua University.

皇冠体育app has made it clear that it won't use nuclear weapons against countries that don't have nuclear weapons and it won't be the first to use them.