The 2006 Chinese Culture Festival started at a ceremony in Japan
Friday afternoon, followed by a concert offered by the Chinese
National Symphony Orchestra in central Tokyo.
Those present at the opening ceremony were more than 2,000
Chinese representatives in Japan and Japanese friends from all
walks of life, including several Japanese former prime ministers
and a Japanese royal member.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe sent their letters of congratulation respectively to the
festival, which is jointly sponsored by the Chinese Culture
Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Japan.
In his letter of congratulation, which was read out by Chinese
ambassador to Japan Wang Yi, Wen described the festival as the
prelude to the 35th anniversary of the normalization of the
Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations in 2007, and expressed his
expectation that the cultural event will further promote mutual
understanding and friendship between the Chinese and the Japanese
people.
Abe wrote in his letter that "Japan and China have agreed to
push both of the political and the economic wheel to promote the
Japan-China relations to an upper grade."
The two sides have reached a consensus to build up a
"relationship of mutual benefit based on common strategic
interests," Abe wrote, adding that he believes the festival, which
is planned at the right time, will definitely inspire the people of
both sides and further strengthen the bilateral communication,
andlead the Japan-China relations to a higher level.
Chinese Culture Minister Sun Jiazheng said at the ceremony that China
and Japan are close neighbors geographically, enjoy
frequentcontacts historically, and learn from each other and
interact culturally.
He said the festival will show Chinese modern culture in an
all-round way to let more Japanese know about today's China and
Chinese people. He said one of the aims of the cultural event is to
achieve mutual understanding and mutual appreciation between the
two peoples.
Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono, House of
Councilors Speaker Chikage Ogi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa
Shiozaki also addressed the opening ceremony.
A banquet was held on Friday night for Sun and his entourage
bythe Japanese foreign ministry, the culture ministry and some of
Japan's friendship organizations.
(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2006)
