李克强总理应约会见安倍晋三

Premier Li Keqiang, meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of this year's summit in Ulan Bator, says communication between China and Japan could be gradually increased, as long as it's done in the spirit of equality and mutual respect.

"I hope Japan can work together with China for a steady improvement of bilateral relations with the spirit of learning from history."

In making the suggestion, the Premier says although bilateral ties have been improving, the pace is still slow and often disrupted by complications.

For his part, Shinzo Abe has also expressed a willingness to expand exchanges and cooperation with China.

"Currently Japanese-Chinese relations are having some difficulties, but we need to face these problems with a proactive attitude and cooperate with each other, especially with the situation the world economy is facing. With increasing risks caused by Brexit, we should strengthen our cooperation to avoid a world economic slowdown."

While both leaders have expressed a willingness to forge better ties, issues - including the South China Sea - remain a stumbling block.

Meeting with Shinzo Abe, Premier Li Keqiang has told his Japanese counterpart to stop hyping up and interfering in the South China Sea, noting that Japan is not a claimant in the disputes.

Lu Kang with the Chinese Foreign Ministry urges Japan to face up historical facts concerning South China Sea.

"We hope Japan would comply with these international rules and norms and would not concoct its own imagined rules or norms. Japan should know better about its own history in the South China Sea. After being defeated and surrendering in World War II, Japan returned the Chinese territories it had occupied and these territories include the South China Sea islands. The return of South China Sea islands is part and parcel of the post-war international order. "

The Chinese government has declared the rulings null and void, and says comments from Japan on this issue are disturbing stability in the South China Sea.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.