Ｊａｐａｎ－Ｃｈｉｎａ Ｎｅｗ Ｃｅｎｔｕｒｙ Ａｓｓｏｃｉａｔｉｏｎ Ｄｅｌｅｇａｔｉｏｎ Ｖｉｓｉｔｓ Ｃｈｉｎａ

At the invitation of the China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA)， the delegation of of the Japan-China New Century Association (JCNCA) consisting of Japanese dietmen and led by Otohiko Endo，member of the House of Representatives of the Komei Party， paid a visit to Xiamen， Fuzhou and Beijing from Novemebr 28 to December 3， 2005. State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan met with the delegation. CJFA President Song Jian met with and entertained the delegation. The delegation paid official calls on the International Department of the CPC Central Committee， the Foreign Ministry， the Ministry of Education and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council， and had an informal discussion with the students of the School of International Studies of the Renmin University.

Sino-Japanese Relations and Sino-Japanese

People-to-People Exchanges

On December 1， CJFA President Song Jian met with Otohiko Endo and his party. Song spoke highly of the active efforts made by the JCNCA since its founding in 2000 to enhance mutual understanding between the Japanese and Chinese people and promote the development of Sino-Japanese relations. Song pointed out that Sino-Japanese relations are one of the most important bilateral relations to both countries. Political figures of the older generation and far-sighted personages from various circles of the two countries have made painstaking efforts to promote the development of Sino-Japanese relations. The hard-won friendly relations between the two countries should be treasured. The current bilateral relations are facing the most difficult situation since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The crucial reason for it is that Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi has repeatedly paid homage to the Yasukuni Shrine where top war criminals are honoured， which has greatly hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and jeopardized the political foundation of the Sino-Japanese relations. In his meeting with Junichiro Koizumi in Jakarta in April 2005， Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward five-point proposition， hoping that the two countries can coexist peacefully， foster everlasting friendship， carry out mutually beneficial cooperation and seek common development. At the Meeting Marking the 60th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War， President Hu expounded fully China’s policy on Sino-Japanese relations and expressed that the Chinese Government and leaders attach great importance to bilateral relations and wish to see their progress. Song Jian said， Sino-Japanese friendship is an irresistible trend of the times and the desire of the people. Both countries can only and must get along in friendly cooperation to make common development for it is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples. Song hoped that Japanese leaders would proceed from the overall situation of Japan-China friendship and make correct political decisions. He also hoped that Japanese personages of farsight of various circles would make efforts to push the Sino-Japanese relations back to the track of normal development as soon as possible.

On behalf of the JCNCA， Otohiko Endo expressed his thanks to the CJFA for its efforts to promote Japan-China relations. He said， in the past 33 years since the normalization of the diplomatic relations between the two countries， bilateral relations have experienced steady development in various aspects， but some problems have also cropped up along with it. The two countries should look at their relations from a higher level with a wider vision， and push the relations further by having exchanges through multi-channels at various levels.

The Taiwan Question

One of the main purposes of the delegation’s visit to China was to know about the present situation across the Taiwan Straits and China’s policy toward Taiwan. In his meeting with Otohiko Endo and his party， Sun Yafu， deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council， said， in recent years the situation across the Straits has attracted attention of the international community. This year， in order to relax the tension across the Straits， General Secretary Hu Jintao invited Lien Chan， chairman of the KMT， and Soong Chu-yu， chairman of the People First Party， to visit the mainland， and had talks with them and issued communiqués after the talks. The Chinese Government has also taken a series of positive measures such as encouraging Taiwan compatriots to have sightseeing in the mainland， facilitating the sales of Taiwan farm produce in the mainland， reducing the tuition and other fees charged of the Taiwan students studying in the mainland. Through consultation， the two sides have decided to operate cross-straits charter flights for both passengers and goods during the Spring Festival in 2006 for the third time. All these measures demonstrated the mainland’s wish to resolve the Taiwan problem in a peaceful way. Peaceful resolution of Taiwan problem is conducive to the unity of the people across the Straits， China’s economic construction and future development.

In his meeting with the delegation， Wang Meixiang， deputy governor of Fujian Province said， China’s eleventh Five-Year Programme lays emphasis on strengthening cross-Straits economic and trade exchanges， promoting growth of cross-Straits relations and seeking common development. Huang Ling， deputy mayor of Xiamen， said， economic and personnel exchanges between Xiamen and Taiwan are increasing. Now there are 60，000 Taiwan compatriots living in Xiamen. Every day six boats commute between Xiamen and Quemoy， carrying 1，500 passengers. Now the two sides across the Straits are bound together. Peaceful reunification of the motherland is an irresistible historical trend.

Otohiko Endo said， maintaining peaceful cross-Straits relations is of vital importance to peace and stability in Asia and the world at large. He felt gratified to see the cross-Straits relations are becoming closer. The Japanese Government will continue to handle its relations with Taiwan in accordance with the principles laid in the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement. Endo hoped that through the joint efforts by the two sides across the Straits Taiwan problem would be eventually resolved peacefully. The JCNCA will do its bit to help bring forth the peaceful reunification of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.