Japanese and Chinese leaders agree to promote relations for regional stability.

On the sidelines of the ongoing Asia-Africa Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 22, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to promote bilateral relations for regional stability.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Japan, speaking to reporters after the 25-minute meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Abe affirmed that the two sides "agreed on the need to promote mutually beneficial strategic relations to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region and the world."

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) on the sidelines of the 60th Asia-Africa Summit in Indonesia on April 22. (Source: Kyodo/VNA)

He said he would work with President Xi Jinping to develop bilateral relations through high-level meetings on the sidelines of other international conferences in the future.

According to Prime Minister Abe, since the summit meeting in November 2014, relations between Japan and China "are progressing in an improving direction."

By promoting dialogue and exchanges at various levels, including youth exchanges, Japan and China aim to ensure the improvement of bilateral relations.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for serious implementation of the spirit of the four political documents agreed upon by both sides to ensure that bilateral relations develop in the right direction.

These four documents include the 1972 China-Japan Joint Declaration, the 1978 China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the 1998 China-Japan Joint Declaration, and a joint declaration on the comprehensive development of a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship signed in 2008.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that Beijing is ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with Tokyo to build mutual trust, reduce suspicions, and take common steps to achieve a consensus in both countries' societies that "China and Japan are partners who do not threaten each other."

Both sides need to maintain contact in various fields to enhance mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.

This is the second meeting between the leaders of China and Japan since November 2014, when President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Abe met on the sidelines of the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Beijing.

This meeting took place after the two countries reached a four-point agreement to boost bilateral relations, in which they agreed to resume political, diplomatic, and security dialogue, while acknowledging differences in positions regarding the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku islands in the East China Sea.

In another development, also on April 22, speaking at the Asia-Africa Summit, Prime Minister Abe expressed "deep regret" for his country's actions during World War II, while pledging to abide by the historic Ten Principles of Bandung, emphasizing peace and cooperation.

According to VNA