BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday called on China and Japan to work to help bilateral ties return to the track of healthy development.

Li made the remarks in a meeting with Yohei Kono, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT), and a business delegation led by Kono at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li said China-Japan relations have maintained a momentum of improvement at present with positive interactions, yet challenges remain.

"The two sides need to cherish sound momentum and have foresight and focus when handling bilateral ties so as to create a favorable environment for high-level exchanges and help bilateral ties return to the track of healthy development," he said.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

Li called on Japan to work with China and meet each other halfway, follow the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan, uphold the spirit of taking history as a mirror and facing up to the future, take into account the benefits and well-beings of both peoples and promote bilateral ties to improve and move in the right direction.

On the issue of trade, Li said China advocates multilateralism, supports maintaining the multilateral trading system and promoting the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment.

China will continue its reform and the door of opening-up will open wider, he said.

He encouraged Japanese enterprises to invest in China.

Kono, who is former speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives,said this year is of great significance as it marks the 40th anniversary of both the signing of Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship and China's reform and opening-up policy.

The Japanese business community welcomes the continuous improvement of Japan-China relations, stands ready to make contribution to bilateral friendship, and looks forward to Premier Li's official visit to Japan and attendance of a new round of Japan-China-Republic of Korea (ROK) leaders' meeting, he said.