Japan's Kyodo News Agency sent its largest ever delegation to
visit China on Monday as part of the two countries' joint efforts
to strengthen media exchanges.
The 60-member delegation consists of presidents, chief editors
and renowned reporters from Kyodo's 35 partners. During the
weeklong trip, they are scheduled to visit the cities of Beijing,
Shanghai and Qingdao as well as rural areas in Hebei Province. They
will learn about the preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
the 2010 Shanghai Expo.
Ishikawa Satoshi, president of Kyodo, told reporters that
members of the delegation will convey what they hear and see in
China to ordinary Japanese people, providing an accurate and
all-round impression about China.
"The makeup of the delegation has fully demonstrated our great
interest in China's economic growth and its increasing influence on
the international stage. It also shows we attach great importance
to the development of Japan-China relations," he said.
The Chinese State Council's Information Office held a reception
for the Kyodo delegation on Monday evening. Director Cai Wu said
media in the two countries shoulder important responsibilities to
convey information and culture. Over the past years, major news
outlets of the two countries have made a unique contribution to the
sound development of bilateral ties.
As this year marks the 35th anniversary of normalization of
China-Japan relations, Cai called on the media in two countries to
play an active role, and provide comprehensive and accurate
information to strengthen their mutual understanding and
friendship.
Improving media exchanges is an important part of the two
countries' efforts to warm relations. It was listed in a joint
press communique that the two countries signed during Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao's Japan tour in April.
Kyodo, one of the leading news agencies in the world, has
maintained cooperative ties with China's Xinhua News Agency for
years.
(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2007)
