Forum discusses China-Japan ties
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-08-22 16:51

More than 60 Chinese and Japanese officials and experts are scheduled to convene Tuesday in Beijing to dig into the problems in Sino-Japanese ties in an effort to promote the relationship between the two neighbors.

The “Beijing-Tokyo Forum”, jointly held by China Daily, School of International Study under Peking University and Genron NPO of Japan, marks a new platform set up, for the first time, by Chinese media, academia organizations and Japanese non-governmental organizations for the improvement of bilateral ties.

During the 2-day workshop themed “Building the Future of Asia - Problems and Prospects of Sino-Japanese Ties”, participants from business, political, academia and news circles will endeavor to seek out the reasons behind the stalled China-Japan ties and find solutions for better Sino-Japanese relations.

Zhao Qizheng, Vice-Director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, are expected to attend the event and make keynote speeches.

The result of a survey on Chinese and Japanese citizens’ attitude on bilateral ties is to be released during the forum.

Of the 1,938 Chinese polled, 62.9 per cent have a negative impression of the Japanese while 37.9 per cent of 1,000 Japanese surveyed think negatively of the Chinese, the result indicates.

This is the first meeting of the “Beijing-Tokyo Forum” and the hosts hope to make it an annual event. The next year’s event is expected to be held in Tokyo.