Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a message of condolence to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida over the passing of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe had made efforts to promote the improvement of China-Japan relations during his tenure as prime minister and contributed positively to this endeavor, the Chinese president said in the message.
He recalled the important common understanding they reached on building a relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.
Xi also noted that he deeply regrets Abe’s sudden passing and stands ready to work with Prime Minister Kishida to continue developing a China-Japan relationship of good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation in accordance with the principles established in the four political documents between the two countries.
The president extended deep condolences on behalf of the Chinese government and people and in his own name, and expressed sympathy to Abe’s family.
Also on Saturday, Xi and his wife, Madame Peng Liyuan, sent a message of condolence to Abe’s wife Akie Abe to express their sympathies.
Shinzo Abe was pronounced dead on Friday after being shot twice by an ex-Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) worker while delivering a speech in the western prefecture of Nara. He was 67.
(Cover: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe talks to media in front of the prime minister’s residence in Tokyo, Japan, March 24, 2020. /Xinhua)
