Heads of seven Japan-China friendship organizations from Japan
arrived in Beijing Thursday for their first joint visit to
China.
The Chinese leaders will meet with the Japanese guests,
according to sources with the Foreign Ministry.
During their three-day stay in China, they will exchange views
with people in charge of relevant organizations from the Chinese
side on how to increase non-governmental exchanges and promote the
growth of bilateral relations.
The seven organizations are the Japanese Council for the
Promotion of International Trade, Association of Dietmen League for
Japan-China Friendship, Japan-China Friendship Association,
Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, Japan-China Association
on Economy and Trade, Japan-China Society and Japan-China
Friendship Center.
Among the Japanese delegation are former Prime Minister Ryutaro
Hashimoto and former Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura.
They make the visit as guest of the China-Japan Friendship
Association.
The Sino-Japanese ties was soured by Japanese Prime Minister
Koizumi's repeated visits to a shrine worshipping WWII war
criminals.
The heads of the two neighboring countries have halted the
exchange of visits for over four years, ever since Koizumi began
paying homage to the controversial war shrine soon after he took
office in 2001.
The non-governmental ties, an important aspect of Sino-Japanese
relations, draw high attention of the Chinese leadership.
"We should strengthen the people-to-people exchanges and enhance
mutual understanding and trust," Premier Wen Jiabao said at a press
conference following the concluding meeting of the Fourth Session
of the Tenth National People's Congress.
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2006)
