Chinese President Hu Jintao met on Sunday with Koichi Kato, former secretary-general of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Association, who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games on Saturday night.

Hu first welcomed Kato to the Paralympic Games, and congratulated the guest on assuming the position as chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Association.

Hu called Kato "a senior Japanese statesman" and also "an old friend of the Chinese people."

China highly appreciates Kato's contribution to the development of Sino-Japanese relations, said Hu, adding that Kato has long devoted himself to Sino-Japanese friendship and worked strenuously for restoring, improving and developing the Sino-Japanese relations.

The Chinese president also thanked the Japanese government and people of various circles for their support to the Beijing Olympic Games.

Kato spoke highly of the Beijing Olympic Games, saying that the Games have scored a complete success.

The opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games was equally grand and splendid, and will be written into history, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2008)