China, Japan Warms up for Wen's April Japan Tour

　　Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) met the Secretary-General of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, Hidenao Nakagawa, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday, March 16, 2007. During the talks, Hidenao Nakagawa said that China is not a threat to Japan.

　　As Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's scheduled visit to Japan in April approaches, a favorable atmosphere is being created for the visit, the first of its kind in seven years.

　　"China is ready to make joint efforts with Japan to promote healthy and steady development of China-Japan relations," Chinese President Hu Jintao told visiting Hidenao Nakagawa, secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Kazuo Kitagawa, secretary general of the ruling coalition partner New Komeito on Friday afternoon.

　　Nakagawa and Kazuo Kitagawa arrived here Thursday for a five-day visit to China.

　　Hu said that the two countries should continuously enhance political trust, properly handle sensitive issues and work for a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests.

　　Nakagawa told Hu that Japan holds that China, who is seeking to build a harmonious society and become an economic power, is not a threat to Japan, and Japan, who is striving to become a political power, poses no threat to China.