Shii, Hu agree to further strengthen JCP-CPC ties

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Shii, Hu agree to further strengthen JCP-CPC ties

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo and Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks on May 7 in Tokyo, and confirmed their willingness to further strengthen relations between the JCP and the Communist Party of China.

“I am glad to meet you again for the first time in 10 years,” Shii said and wished the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games success.

Referring to the Tibet question, Shii said, “We welcome the resumption of dialogue and an agreement reached to continue the dialogue. We wish you meaningful results.”

Hu Jintao said, “It’s good to see you again,” recalling the successful talks 10 years back with the JCP, where he first met Shii in Beijing, following the normalization of JCP-CPC relations.

Shii said, “I believe that the further development of good relations between the JCP and the CPC over the past 10 years has contributed to developing relations between Japan and China, regardless of the difficult phases the two countries experienced in their bilateral relations.” He proposed enhancing exchanges and cooperation in the following three fields “in hopes to further develop JCP-CPC relations to a higher level in the next 10 years.”

(1) Contribution to the further development of relations between the two countries

Shii welcomed the “joint statement” signed by the Japanese prime minister and the Chinese president calling for the promotion of a “strategic and mutually beneficial relationship” between the two countries. He said that the JCP will continue to advocate the “Five Principles for Japan-China Relations,” adding, “The JCP will do all it can to further develop relations between our two parties in a way that contributes to the more fruitful development of relations between the two governments.”

(2) Cooperation in the cause of peace in Asia and the rest of the world.

Referring to the recent JCP-CPC cooperation in opposing the invasion of Iraq and in the International Conference of Asian Political Parties, Shii proposed further enhancing bilateral cooperation as well as in-depth discussions between the two parties concerning various issues, including the establishment of a system of peace in Northeast Asia, the global abolition of nuclear weapons, and protection of the global environment.

(3) Cooperation between the JCP and the CPC, which are working under very different conditions, in the cause of socialism/communism.

Referring to the recent successful theoretical exchanges between the two parties, Shii said, “We hope to develop longer-term bilateral theoretical exchanges.”

Hu responded to the proposal by stating, “I’ve been listening to your suggestions

in earnest.”

He spoke about what has been achieved in China-Japan relations and in China’s policy of “reform and opening,” stating, “During the past ten years since the normalization of CPC-JCP relations, bilateral exchanges have produced important results, in particular in the joint study of Marxist theory that produced fruitful results.”

The Chinese president went on to say, “The CPC is willing to increase exchanges and cooperation with the JCP based on mutually confirmed principles, as a new type of party-to-party relations.”

He said , “The success of China’s policy of ‘reform and opening’ over the past 30 years has been made possible by developing a path to socialism with Chinese characteristics using relevant theories, and by adhering to the basic tenets of Marxism while adapting them to the Chinese context.”

Shii stated, “I’m very interested in the ‘Scientific Outlook on Development,’ which you stressed in your report to the CPC 17th Congress in October 2007, and the CPC’s study project focusing on the basic tenets of Marxism.”

Hu said, “Let’s further develop theoretical exchanges between our two parties.”

- Akahata, May 8, 2008