Chinese President Hu Jintao met with the Japan-China Youth Friendship Delegation, led by former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, in the Great Hall of the People on June 19 to mark the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.

Hu recalled a previous meeting of Chinese and Japanese youth in 1984, adding that it was significant that some of the Japanese who participated in that visit returned to China on this special occasion.

Sino-Japanese ties have taken a turn for the better with both countries agreeing to develop mutually beneficial strategic relations. Both also agreed that they should strengthen their coordination and cooperation from bilateral, regional and international perspectives. They also agreed to expand their common interests and to push forward their strategic relations to serve the interests of Chinese and Japanese people, as well as people in other parts of the world.

The friendship between China and Japan is a friendship between the countries' two peoples, Hu said. Both nations should deepen the friendship between the youth as the basis for building a lasting relationship for generations to come, he said.

China wants more young people to participate in the efforts to promote its partnership with Japan, Hu said. He hopes that friendship organizations and individuals in both countries will make greater contributions to enhancing the relationship between the two peoples, especially the youth.

The Chinese have warmly received the Japanese youth delegation during its visit to China, and the Japanese are deeply moved by the hospitality of the Chinese Government and people, Nakasone said. "The members of the delegation marveled at China's development and changes and felt the sincere aspiration of the Chinese people to enhance friendship and advance cooperation with Japan," Nakasone said. "The delegation will take the sincere feeling of the Chinese people back to Japan."

China and Japan are important countries, and promoting their friendship is of great significance for the two countries, their people and for the peace and development of Asia, Nakasone said.

"We have a responsibility to push forward Japan-China relations," Nakasone said.

Prominent government leaders who attended the event included Wang Zhaoguo, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; Wang Gang, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan; and Noda Takeshi, member of Japan's House of Representatives and Chairman of the Japan-China Society.

The Japanese delegation arrived in Beijing on June 14 for the one-week celebration. The approximately 200-member delegation included descendants and representatives of those who participated in the 1984 gathering, members of Japan's parliament and representatives of friendship organizations. The All-China Youth Federation hosted the event.