On September 7, 2024, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held a banquet in Beijing to welcome the visiting Japanese youth delegations, including representatives from the Japan-China Friendship Center Youth Delegation, the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association University Students Delegation, the Japan Shorinji Kempo Youth Delegation, and the Soka University Delegation. President Yang Wanming attended the banquet and delivered remarks. Vice President Yuan Mindao, Executive Vice President Zhang Qian and Vice President Jiao Yutong of Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Minister Masato Usui from the Japanese Embassy in China, along with nearly 500 participants from both China and Japan, also attended the event.

President Yang welcomed the visiting Japanese youth and commended the ongoing efforts of Japan-China friendship organizations in promoting bilateral friendship, particularly in youth exchanges. He noted that China and Japan are important neighbors with a long history of close exchanges. Currently, China-Japan relations are at a critical stage of improvement and development. Last November, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio to reaffirm the strategic mutual benefits of their relationship, setting a direction for future efforts to establish constructive and stable relations that meet the requirements of the new era. President Yang expressed the CPAFFC’s willingness to collaborate with Japanese friendship organizations and insightful individuals to actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, vigorously promote friendly exchanges across various fields, especially among youth, and create more platforms and bridges for dialogue to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. He also emphasized the importance of youth from both countries jointly fostering enduring intergenerational friendship and playing an active role in promoting this cause.

Leaders of the Japanese delegations, including Sasaki Masafumi, leader of the Japan-China Friendship Center Youth Delegation, Wataya Risa, leader of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association University Students Delegation, Sou Yuki, leader of the Japan Shorinji Kempo Youth Delegation, Akiya Yoshihide, leader of the Soka University Delegation, and Minister Masato Usui from the Japanese Embassy in China, each expressed their gratitude for the warm invitation and hospitality extended by the Chinese side. They emphasized the importance of youth exchanges between Japan and China, and encouraged Japanese youth to seize the opportunity to gain deeper insights into Chinese society and culture, forging valuable friendships with their Chinese counterparts. They also expressed hopes that the younger generations of both nations would carry forward the legacy of friendship established by their predecessors, injecting fresh vitality into Japan-China relations.

During the banquet, Japanese youth interacted with students from Tsinghua University, the Communication University of China, Beijing Sport University, and Beijing International Studies University. Four Japanese youth representatives shared their experiences and reflections on their visit. The CPAFFC also celebrated the birthdays of delegation members whose birthdays fell during the visit, creating a lively and friendly atmosphere.

The youth delegations from four Japan-China friendship organizations were invited under the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of Japan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Strengthening Youth Exchanges between the governments of China and Japan. They visited Beijing, Shanghai, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan, to gain firsthand insights into Chinese development and culture.