China-Japan economies interdependent, says Chinese vice premier

Aug 28, 2010, 11:48 GMT

Beijing - The economies of China and Japan were interdependent, a top Chinese official said at economic talks on Saturday, with trade between the two countries now exceeding that seen before the global financial crisis.

Speaking at the opening of a China-Japan economic dialogue in Beijing, Chinese vice premier Wang Qishan said the two sides had cooperated successively in the areas of energy-saving, environmental protection, food safety, product quality and the construction of China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Wang chaired Saturday's negotiations alongside Japanese Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya, the report said.

The talks were aimed at boosting bilateral coordination between the world's second and third largest economies.

China overtook Japan as the world's second largest economy in the second quarter of this year.

The Japanese party was expected to raise issues including labour disputes in China, intellectual property rights, and current export controls related to rare metals used in hybrid electric vehicles and other high-tech products, the Kyodo news service reported.

The Japanese delegates, including finance minister Yoshihiko Noda, economy, trade and industry minister Masayuki Naoshima, and environment minister Sakihito Ozawa, were expected to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday.

This is the third bilateral economic dialogue since Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe initiated the talks in 2007.