On a reciprocal visit, a 200-member Chinese youth delegation made a weeklong trip to Japan early this month, accompanying President Hu Jintao's "warm spring" visit which concluded successfully last week. The delegation was the first of its kind sent by China under the 2008 China-Japan youth exchange program.

Departing today, the second Chinese youth delegation will first visit Tokyo and Kyoto, where they will participate in discussions on China-Japan relations. They will also attend classes with their Japanese peers and live with Japanese host families.

"For me, seeing is believing. To see a real Japan in person and to talk to young Japanese of my age is a better way for me to know a true Japan," said Fang Ruocheng, a second-year high school student of the Affiliated Middle School of Qinghai Normal University.

Fang said he hopes to have the opportunity to study at the Confucius Institute of Waseda University in Japan in the future.

"I want to share my knowledge about China and my hometown in Qinghai Province with young Japanese. We have a great Tibetan culture in Qinghai and I'd like to invite my Japanese friends to visit the famous Qinghai Lake some day," Fang said.

(China Daily May 13, 2008)