CJFA Delegation Visits Japan

Invited by the Japan-China Friendship Association (JCFA), a 17-member delegation of the China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA) consisting of leading officials of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the All-China Youth Federation, the All-China Women’s Federation, and local friendship associations paid a visit to Japan from April 11 to 17, 2005. During its stay in Japan, the delegation attended the meeting of the representatives of the Chinese and the Japanese non-governmental friendship organizations, issued the Appeal for Peace and Good-Neighbourliness and jointly held the Tenth Meeting on Sino-Japanese Friendly Exchanges.

Appeal for Peace and Good- Neighbourliness Issued in Tokyo

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the victory of the world’s anti-fascist war and China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and further promote healthy development of China-Japan friendly and cooperative relations, 35 Chinese non-governmental friendship organizations including the CJFA and 25 Japanese nongovernmental organizations for friendship including the JCFA gathered in Tokyo for a meeting on April 12, at which Song Jian, president of the CJFA, who led the CJFA delegation, and Wang Yi, Chinese ambassador to Japan, were present and spoke, and the representatives of the Chinese and Japanese friendship organizations unanimously adopted the Appeal for Peace and Good-Neighbourliness. (full text see page 13).

The Appeal stresses that correct understanding of history is the political basis of China-Japan relations, and that the two sides should uphold the spirit of “using history as a mirror and looking to the future” and properly resolve the problems through friendly consultations. The Appeal calls on the non-governmental friendship organizations of the two countries to carry forward the tradition of friendship and make contributions to the development of China-Japan friendly relations in the new era. This Appeal is the third document for promoting action for China-Japan friendship following the Declaration on Promoting Sino-Japanese People’s Friendship in the New Century jointly issued in 2001 and the Appeal for China-Japan Friendship jointly issued in 2002.

In his speech, CJFA President Song Jian spoke highly of the tremendous role played by the friendship organizations of the two countries in developing China-Japan relations. He said, when acknowledging great development in exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields in the past 33 years since the normalization of diplomatic relations, we should also notice that many problems exist in bilateral relations. The phenomenon of “cold political, but warm economic relations” is not in the interests of the two countries. This year that marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is a very important year for China-Japan relations. The history and Taiwan issues are still seriously obstructing the healthy development of bilateral relations. The two sides should adhere to the principles laid down in the three political documents, proceed from the China-Japan friendship and appropriately solve the problems existing in bilateral relations in the spirit of “using history as a mirror and looking to the future” so as to improve bilateral relations as early as possible and make 2005 a year of promoting peace and cooperation between China and Japan in the new era.

In his speech, Ambassador Wang Yi elaborated the Chinese government’s consistent and principled stand on handling China-Japan relations. He said, to properly handle the problems that China-Japan relations are currently facing and build a framework of long-term, healthy and steady development of bilateral relations under the new historical conditions are our urgent tasks. Under the current difficult situation of China-Japan relations, to further carry forward the tradition of friendship between the two peoples is of great importance. He also put forward some suggestions on strengthening belief in China-Japan friendship, avoiding strategic misjudgment, actively seeking and expanding common interests and maintaining political basis of bilateral relations.

In his speech, Masahiko Komura, president of Dietmen’s League for Japan-China Friendship, expressed his regret over and worry about the extremist parades against Japan occurring in Beijing and some other Chinese cities. He said, in recent years, nationalism in Japan and China has been upsurging. The people of the two countries have shown less friendly sentiments, and even abhorrence towards each other. If it is given free rein to develop, there will be a vicious circle. He urged the leaders of the two countries to take actions to properly handle the matter.

Li Chengren, executive vice president of the Chinese Association for International Understanding, Sugiichiro Watari, president of the Japan-China Association on Economy and Trade, and Takashi Shibuya, secretary general of the Japan Seinendan Council, also spoke at the meeting.

After the meeting, the Japanese side held a reception. About 400 people including Yohei Kono, speaker of the House of Representatives, Chikage Ogi, president of the House of Councillors, Nobutaka Machimura, foreign minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, Tomiichi Murayama, and Tsutomu Hata, former Japanese prime ministers, and many Japanese dietmen as well as friendly personages from various circles attended the reception. Song Jian, Yohei Kono, Chikage Ogi, Nobutaka Machimura spoke on the occasion.

Many Japanese personages of various circles said, at the time when Japan-China relations are facing difficulties, the issuance of the Appeal for Peace and Good Neighbourliness is of particular importance. The more difficult the situation is, the more important it is for the people of the two countries to strengthen exchanges and enhance mutual understanding.

Tenth Meeting on Sino-Japanese Friendly Exchanges Held in Nagano

The Tenth Meeting on Sino-Japanese Friendly Exchanges jointly sponsored by the CJFA and the JCFA was held in Nagano, Japan from April 14 to 15. Over 200 Chinese and Japanese participants including CJFA President Song Jian, former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party Hiromu Nonaka, attended the meeting.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Song Jian said, the Chinese Government always attaches great importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with Japan, persists in the policy of building a good-neighbourly relationship and partnership with neighbouring countries, and advocates that the two countries should properly handle the problems in bilateral relations on the basis of the principles laid down in the three political documents. Song stressed, the nongovernmental organizations and friendly personages of the two countries should continue to give full play to the advantages of people-to-people contacts, strengthen cooperation and make new contributions to improving China-Japan relationship and promoting its healthy and steady development.

In his speech, Tomiichi Murayama said, the year 2005 that marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is a very important year for Japan-China relations. Japan’s past aggression against China and Asia caused great losses and suffering to the Chinese people, and also brought great harms to the Japanese people. Now Japan-China relations have met some difficulties, which were mainly caused by the visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by the Japanese head of state and the Taiwan issue. Japan should learn lessons from history, stick to the road of peaceful development and promote Japan-China friendship to last from generation to generation.

In his key-note speech, Juro Suzuki，vice president of the JCFA, said, to look squarely at the past and correctly understand history are theimportant basis of Japan-China relations. Distortion of history is the fundamental cause of the setback of Japan-China relations. He called on the Japanese Government to stick to one China stand, remove obstacles at an early date and hold the summit meeting between the heads of state of the two countries.

In his key-note speech, CJFA Vice President Chen Yongchang said, both China and Japan should safeguard the political foundation of China-Japan relations, look at China-Japan cooperation from the strategic perspective and seek for common prosperity and development. The two countries should intensify their efforts to strengthen exchanges between various circles, enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples, promote exchanges between the local governments, and train successors to the cause of China-Japan friendship.

After the plenary session, the Chinese and Japanese participants were divided into four groups to have panel discussions on the key-note speeches, and put forward some good suggestions on developing China-Japan relations in the new era.