Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ Ｅｃｏｎｏｍｉｃ Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ Ｌｅｄ ｂｙ ＪＣＣＥＡ Ｐｒｅｓｉｄｅｎｔ Ｔａｋａｓｈｉ Ｔｓｕｊｉｉ Ｖｉｓｉｔｓ Ｃｈｉｎａ

At the invitation of the CPAFFC， a 9-member delegation of representatives of Japanese economic circles led by Takashi Tsujii， president of the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association (JCCEA) paid a visit to Beijing， Hangzhou and other places in March 2005. During its stay in Beijing， the delegation had talks with the Institute of Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Development Research Centre of the State Council， and paid official calls on the Ministry of Culture and the National Museum. Takashi Tsujii also attended an informal discussion on the publication of the Chinese version of his works.

On the afternoon of March 8， State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan met with the delegation. Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and CPAFFC Vice President Chen Yongchang were also present at the meeting.

Tang extended his welcome to the delegation and spoke highly of the contributions made by the JCCEA over the years to the healthy development of Sino-Japanese friendly relations. On the Sino-Japanese relations， Tang said， China attaches great importance to developing relations with Japan. Though the uneven development of the bilateral political relations has not much affected the cultural exchanges， its impact on the economic and trade exchanges is gradually appearing， resulting in fewer areas for exchanges. In the past Japan has been China’s largest trade partner， but now it is behind the EU and the United States.

Tang said， this year that marks the 60th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a very important year to both China and Japan. We hope that Sino-Japanese relations will improve to a certain extent， and have new development. Under the current situation， cultural exchanges have become more important. The two countries should increase trust and dispel suspicion between them. Tang hoped that the two sides would make joint efforts to promote mutual understanding and increase friendship between the two peoples through people-to-people and cultural exchanges. He expected that the JCCEA would make greater efforts to that end.

Tang continued， since the Asian financial crisis， out of the needs for its own economic development， China has followed a proactive fiscal policy. This year in the Report on the Work of the Government， Premier Wen points out that China will follow a prudent fiscal policy， improve the quality of economic work and transform the pattern of economic growth. The Government will put stress on promoting a balanced development， striving to achieve all-round economic growth and build a harmonious society with a scientific outlook.

On the evening of March 7， CPAFFC President Chen Haosu met with and entertained the delegation.

Chen expressed his welcome to the delegation organized and sent by the JCCEA. He said， currently Sino-Japanese economic relations are becoming increasingly closer， which was attributed to the efforts made by personages of the economic circles of the two countries including the members of the delegation. Chen said， the JCCEA has made contributions to the sound development of the relations and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The year 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the JCCEA. Chen hoped that the two associations would take this as a new turning point to further deepen exchanges in the cultural areas， and at the same time strengthen cooperation in the political， social and economic fields.