On the afternoon of June 30, CAFIU and the Kazankai Foundation of Japan jointly held a seminar on China-Japan cultural exchanges and soft power. The seminar was attended by over 30 delegates, including the visiting Kazankai delegation, representatives and experts from NGOs of China and Japan and some Council Members of CAFIU. CAFIU Secretary-General Ni Jian and Executive Director Hoshi Hiroto of the Kazankai Foundation delivered the opening remarks. CAFIU Deputy Secretary-General Liu Kaiyang delivered the concluding remarks. The seminar was chaired by Li Dongping, CAFIU Council Member, and Norikazu Chiba, Deputy Director of Culture Department, Kazankai Foundation.

 

In the seminar, delegates from both countries agreed that China and Japan should strengthen cultural exchanges in a wide variety of forms to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Chuo University Professor Yasuko Enomoto said that more and more Japanese young people choose Mandarin as their second foreign language and most of them hold positive views toward China, as they can meet and talk with Chinese people face-to-face. Hosei University Researcher Junko Oikawa told the audience that she encouraged her students to think about their Chinese counterparts’ living situation, interest and their way of thinking so as to enable these Japanese youngsters to have better insight into China. Yasuo Furuhata, Associate Editor of International Department of Kyodo News, said that cultural exchanges can facilitate the frank communication between the two peoples and thus help improve bilateral relations. He also highlighted the vast potential for cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan. Li Shungang, Professor of Communication University of China, pointed out that China and Japan should learn from each other in the process of strengthening their respective soft power. Li Daoxiang, Professor of the Central Institute of Socialism, stressed the significance of enhancing soft power and explored possible measures to this end. Xia Xiaopeng, Director of Foreign Department of Xinhua News Agency, said the NGOs, young scholars and college students should have more frequent mutual visit and media outlets from the two countries should forge more exchanges and cooperation to help the two peoples get a comprehensive and objective picture of each other’s country. Feng Guangsheng, Council Member of CAFIU and Deputy Director of World Art Center of China Millennium Monument, suggested making the most of the advantages of culture display to enhance the two peoples’ insight into each other’s culture.

Other delegates also actively participated in the discussion. Wang Zhongyi, Council Member of CAFIU and Editor-in-chief of People’s China, said that China and Japan should build mutually beneficial relations in cultural exchanges and embrace healthy competition in this regard through mutual respect and being inspiration to each other. Yu Jin, Council Member of CAFIU and Executive Vice-President of China Association for Preservation of Ethnic Minorities’ Relics, suggested carrying out more activities in China and Japan to promote each other’s culture so that the two peoples could be fascinated with the charm.