At the invitation of Junior Chamber International Japan (JCI) and Kasikorn Research Center, Secretary General Nijian headed a 6-member CAFIU delegation to visit Japan and Thailand between Apr.12 and Apr.19, 2016. I was privileged to be a member of the delegation. This visit, which enabled me to have a close look into local landscape and customs of the two countries, gave me an insight into people-to-people interaction and cooperation.

 

          Japan: to deepen mutual trust and look forward to the future

 

Founded in 1951, JCI has nearly 700 branches nationwide and is one of the largest civil youth groups in Japan. A dozen JCI principal heads and young members, some of whom came all the way from Osaka to greet the delegation, gave us a warm welcome at Haneda Airport. During the visit, the delegation met the members of the House of Representatives including Masaaki Taira, Seiji Kihara, Hajime Sasaki, Hayato Suzuki, Yuko Obuchi, Goshi Hosono, Kiyohiko Toyama, the officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Environment, and the NGO leaders including President of Japan-China Friendship Association Yaichiro Aizawa, Senior Vice-President of Soka Gakkai Yoshiki Tanigawa, and Director-General of Japan-China Society Shiranishi Shichiro. Secretary General Nijian held workshops on “ the two century goals”, “the Belt and Road” and the thirteenth Five-Year Plan. Mr. Ma Shilun and Mr. Pan Yunfeng, members of CAFIU Council and All-China Youth Federation, gave an briefing respectively on local economic development in China.

 

As a whole, Japan highly valued the important role that the people-to-people diplomacy played in promoting China-Japan relations. They made positive response to CAFIU’s suggestion that the Chinese and Japanese NGOs co-host the “China-Japan Friendship” Essay Competition, and agreed with Secretary General Nijian that China and Japan should underline each other’s merits and virtues and reduce misunderstanding and mistrust through exchanging views . On the welcome reception, the 2016 Vice-President of JCI Kenichi Sasaki delivered a speech in Chinese. His quotation of the ancient Chinese poem, wishing China and Japan “to be like birds flying wings-to-wings in the sky and trees growing branches by braches on the earth”, won him loud applause.

 

Japan noted that the two countries should look into the future and deepen pragmatic cooperation on environmental protection. The delegation visited Tokyo Denki University and the Harumi Island Triton Square, learning about local practices of energy saving and environmental protection. All faculty members, students and visitors used a swipe card to go in and out of Tokyo Denki University. The system automatically adjusted the temperature, light, humidity and wind in line with the indoor and outdoor temperature difference and the ingoing and outgoing people in each classroom, office and public place in real time.  The system was even able to intelligently control lights brightness according to the real-time seating density in lecture halls for energy efficiency.

 

Starting in mid 1980s, the design and planning of the Harumi Island Triton Square incorporated shopping, recreation, living and environmental protection. The architects kept large area of green land between buildings, took environment-friendly building materials and special interior design for the utmost use of natural sunlight and heat, and offered amenities that made the life and travel of neighborhood more convenient. Their experience and practice of long-term planning, scientific design and accurate control in hi-tech environmental protection are good reference for China.

 

         Thailand: a long way to go for friendship across generations

 

Mr. Chang Nianzhou (Joe Horn-Phathanothai) came all the way from abroad to host a family dinner for the delegation. His mother Mme. Chang Yuan (Sirin Phathanothai ) had been living in Beijing for more than ten years since she was a little girl. She named her first son as Nianzhou (meaning “missing Zhou”) to show her profound respect for late Premier Zhou Enlai. Mr. Chang’s house was of traditional Thai style. The tranquil backyard was hidden in bushes and flowers. There was a photo of Mme. Chang Yuan with Premier Zhou in the sitting room. Mr. Chang’s four-year-old son Zhouzhou sat on his lap. The lovely little boy listened carefully to our talk and walked around the dinner table serving us wine. Educated by his grandparent and father since childhood, Zhouzhou will grow up into an envoy of China-Thailand friendship.

 

During the visit, the delegation met the former Minister of Finance Korn Chatikavanij, Director of Institute of Security and International Studies Dr. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, and held discussions with the experts and scholars from Kasikorn Research Center. Thailand noted that the ever-growing number of Chinese tourists was a great drive to Thai tourism industry and economic growth. Meanwhile, the bad behavior of some rude Chinese tourists had negative impact. Some Western media and politicians intentionally misled the public and caused misunderstanding between China and Thailand.  We share the strong feeling that the people, particularly young people of the two countries need closer interactions and better understanding of each other’s culture and folk custom by means of Micro-media and We-media. The young people shall work together for heart-to-heart friendship across generations between the peoples of China and Thailand.