On Sunday, April 13, before the Preliminary Conference for The 11th Tokyo-Beijing Forum with the China International Publishing Group got into full swing, the delegation from the Japanese Executive Committee, led by its chairman, Yasushi Akashi, paid a courtesy call on Jiang Jianguo, Minister of the State Council Information Office.

Mr. Jiang began by welcoming the delegation to China, expressing his organization's full support for the new round of the Forum as it entered its second decade. Mr. Jiang also showed that he understood the significance of the Forum, stating that a mutual exchange of opinions involved listening to your partner's views, to understand their position, and to reach agreement on a common understanding.

Mr. Akashi, after thanking Mr. Jiang for his understanding and future cooperation with Forum's activities, replied that, "Although the efforts of the governments on both sides were critical to resolve issues between Japan and China, the efforts of the people were also key. The Forum had a big obligation to use the collective wisdom of the people to take a long-term view and build relations based on firm but amicable mutual understanding."

Mr. Jiang said he was looking forward to a Forum that takes a broad perspective of the future, "One should not look at Japan-China relations over a timespan of just one to three years, one should always look at current events with the future in mind. Japan and China both had important positions within Asia and a settlement between them would have a decisive influence on the destiny of the region. The Forum was being asked to undertake a sacred mission and it had a bright future."

• Cooperation in the initiative to face our new future: A courtesy call to Liu Jianchao, Assistant Foreign Minister of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs [Report, Japanese Only]


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• Shared future aspirations: Finding a catalyst to bury differences between Japan & China　[Kudo's Blog, Japanese Only]


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• A constructive debate on the future of Japan, China, and Asia: The Preliminary Conference for The 11th Tokyo-Beijing Forum closes in Beijing


• Preliminary Conference for The 11th Tokyo-Beijing Forum kicks off: Report from Pre-conference Dinner [Report, Japanese Only]


• The 11th Tokyo-Beijing Forum will be late October [Press Release, Japanese Only]