By Wang Fang, translated by Gao Jing
China-Japan relations have improved despite the twists and turns of the past since 2017, which is highlighted by the positive attitude the Japanese side has shown towards the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on several occasions that Japan and China can collaborate with each other and that he expects the BRI will contribute to world peace and prosperity.
Ning Jizhe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, noted that leaders of China, Thailand and Japan attach great importance to the trilateral cooperation concerning Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor and such cooperation is of great significance and enjoys broad prospects.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which offers the two sides an opportunity to improve the bilateral relations. In this context, ASEAN countries can be a starting point for the third-party market cooperation between China and Japan within the BRI framework.
China Report ASEAN 