Japan has decided to discontinue its 40-year official development assistance projects for China, Foreign Minister Taro Kono told a news conference on Tuesday, as the need for the aid has receded since China's economy becoming the world's second largest.
As the two countries marked the 40th anniversary of a bilateral peace and friendship treaty on the same day, it was revealed that Japan will instead propose a new joint initiative for Asia's two biggest economies to help build infrastructure in developing nations.
At a news conference earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan's ODA for China since 1979 has "fulfilled its role" given the economic growth and progress in the development of technology in the country.