Chinese President Hu Jintao’s Japan visit got off to a very good and promising start.

Mr. Hu met Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in an attempt to resolve the long-lasting tensions between the two countries. The two announced in a joint statement quoted by Agence France-Presse, that they "confirmed that the two nations are cooperative partners, not threats, to each other" and share responsibilities "for the world's peace and development in the 21st century."
Their plans involve the reach of the countries’ goals based on peace, friendship and cooperation.

Their discussions also covered the dispute over the gas deposits in the East China Sea. "We agreed a solution is in sight for the long pending issue of developing resources in the East China Sea as Japan and China have held meaningful discussions and made significant progress," Mr. Fukuda said according to BBC News.

Another main concern referred to the Tibet issue and Yasuo Fukuda urged Mr. Hu to reopen talks with Dalai Lama as soon as possible in order to rapidly improve the situation.

On a lighter note of the visit, President Hu agreed to lend Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo two pandas, a male and a female, which will replace the popular Ling Ling, who died last week due to a heart failure.

The new plans are expected to further raise the already successful economic relations between the two nations. Trades between the two countries reached $237 billion last year.

President Hu Jintao is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Japan in over a decade. The only other Chinese President to visit Tokyo was Jiang Zemin back in 1998 and caused a great amount of disturbance with his request for an apology over the past and also a criticizing public speech on Japan.