Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), met in Beijing with Mr. TAKUYA TASSO, Governor of Iwate-ken, and his delegation on April 16th. Mme. Zhou Hong, President of Yunnan People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (YPAFFC), Mme. Zhu Dan, Deputy Director-General of Department of Japanese Affairs of CPAFFC, Mr. SASAKI JUNICHI, Speaker of Iwate-ken, Mr. YAMURA KUNIHISA, President of Iwate-ken Chamber of Commerce and Industry Federation, and etc., attended the meeting.

President Li extended welcome to Governor TAKUYA TASSO and Speaker SASAKI JUNICHI together visiting China, and thanked Iwate-ken personages from all walks of life for upholding principle of being friendly to China for a long time. She said that Iwate-ken developed colorful exchanges and cooperation with Yunnan Province and other relevant regions in China, which not only enhanced the mutual understanding and friendly feelings between the two peoples, but also brought benefits for the social development of the two countries. Even more, Iwate-ken played an active role in improving the bilateral relations in the way of enhancing diplomatic relations with other countries through local governments' contacts.

President Li said that, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of a treaty of peace and friendship between China and Japan, and the 40th anniversary of Chinese reform and opening-up as well as the 45th anniversary of the exchanges of the friendly cities between China and Japan, which are beneficial to the improvement of the bilateral relations. In the Boao Forum for Asian Annual Conference 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping made it clear to all that China’s door of opening-up will not be closed and will only open even wider. China will continue to adhere to its fundamental national policy of opening-up and to promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This way, we can make the BRI the broadest platform for international cooperation in keeping with the trend of economic globalization. President Li expected both sides could deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in relevant fields and work together to further push the exchanges and cooperation of the two countries for improvement.

Governor TAKUYA TASSO made a brief introduction about the exchanges and cooperation developed by Iwate -ken with China in recent year and said that the personages from all walks of life in Iwate-ken attached importance to the exchanges with China. Iwate-ken Dalian Economic Office was founded in 2005. Iwate-ken also established friendly exchange relations with Yunnan Province in 2013. He expressed that the delegation would also visit Yunnan Province except Beijing and will present the foundation ceremony of Representative Office of Iwate Industry Promotion Center in Yunnan. The various circles in Iwate-ken would like to catch up the opportunities to further promote the exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields and make efforts on the improvement bilateral relations from local-level.

 Photographed by Shen Haiting