China Japan Talks

In an interview with 16 Japanese news organizations in Beijing before his visit, Wen said that the economic issue would be high upon his agenda.

During the visit, the two countries will draft a joint document spelling out their aspirations to build a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship, and the major tasks involved in this effort, he said.

According to Wen, he will invite Abe to revisit China this year.

Abe said earlier that he would seek Wen's help to resolve the kidnapping issue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and win China's support for Japan's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.

He voiced the hope that his meeting with Wen will strengthen the two countries' strategic, mutually beneficial relations.

He believed the two Asian neighbors could cooperate in many fields, in particular in energy and environmental protection.

Though bilateral exchanges have grown in the past 35 years, China-Japan relations still face stumbling blocks, including the two countries' differences over historical issues and a dispute over natural gas fields in the East China Sea.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Tokyo Wednesday for a three-day official visit he described as an "ice thawer" of Sino-Japanese ties following the "ice-breaking" trip to China last October by his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

The visit is the first by a Chinese premier since 2000 and occurs against the backdrop of the two countries working hard to mend relations. - SOURCE: Government of China