On June 16, Bai Yuzhen, Director-General of Ningxia Foreign Affairs Office and Executive Vice President of Ningxia People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, attended the Fifth China-Japan Friendly Exchange Conference in Western Japan via video link. Kong Xuanyou, Ambassador of China to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, former Ambassador of China to Japan and Executive Vice President of China-Japan Friendship Association, and Uichiro Niwa, former Ambassador of Japan to China and President of Japan-China Friendship Association, delivered keynote speeches online. Xue Jian, Consul General of China in Osaka, Norihiko Kajimoto, President of Osaka Japan-China Friendship Association, Tsutomu Himeno, Ambassador in Charge of Kansai Region of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Taizo Mikazuki, Governor of Shiga Prefecture, addressed the conference.

The conference was co-organized by the Consulate General of China in Osaka and Osaka Japan-China Friendship Association and assisted by China-Japan Friendship Association. It aimed at reflecting on the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, building broad consensus, consolidating the faith in China-Japan friendship, and pooling strengths for the development of China-Japan relations. The attendees carried out frank, friendly and in-depth discussion on the theme of “For the Next 50 Years: Better Development for China-Japan Friendship”, and adopted The Declaration of the Fifth China-Japan Friendly Exchange Conference in Western Japan. Over 500 people from China and Japan attended the conference online and offline, representing the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, All-China Youth Federation, All-China Women’s Federation, China Association for International Friendly Contact, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, some 40 local foreign affairs offices and associations for friendship with foreign countries, Western Japan’s friendship associations and political, economic and academic communities.

Ningxia established friendly relations with Shimane Prefecture, which is in Western Japan, 29 years ago. Since then, the two sides have been developing their friendship with extensive and deep cooperation in education, culture, science and technology and environmental protection. The partnership was given the Award to Friendship Cities for Exchanges and Cooperation and the Friendship City Award for Exchanges and Cooperation with China by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, setting a good example for local exchanges between China and Japan. Ningxia Foreign Affairs Office will take the conference as an opportunity to increase interactions with the government and friendship associations of Shimane Prefecture and expand practical cooperation on economy, trade, education, culture and healthcare, so as to contribute to the China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.