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BEIJING - JAPANESE Prime Minister Taro Aso and Chinese leaders have agreed to establish a hotline in a bid to build mutual trust between the Asian powers, Japanese officials said on Friday.
In separate meetings on Friday, Mr Aso agreed with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao 'to conduct frequent and timely exchange of opinions through a telephone hotline', the Japanese government said in a statement.
'Both sides also exchanged opinions on the current financial situation and agreed on roles which Japan and China should play regarding the issue,' it said, without further elaborating.
Japan and China 'will cooperate in the summit next month on (the) financial crisis', it added, referring to a gathering to be held in Washington on November 15, addressing the global financial turbulence.
Japan has long had uneasy relations with its neighbours due largely to its history of aggression in Asia prior to and during World War II.
Relations, especially with China, hit rock bottom during the 2001-2006 premiership of Junichiro Koizumi.
But leaders of China and Japan have since been repairing relations and Chinese Premier Wen spoke optimistically about bilateral ties ahead of Aso's visit.
Among other issues, Mr Aso called for the Chinese side to secure food safety.
A Japanese woman recently fell ill from eating frozen beans in the latest incident involving Chinese-made food.
The leaders also exchanged opinions on North Korean issues including denuclearisation and the abduction of Japanese citizens by Pyongyang, the statement said. -- AFP
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