Japanese enjoy a taste of Shandong produce

More agricultural products from China's Shandong province will further enrich the dining tables of Japanese people, a former Japanese prime minister said.

Japan is the largest export market for agricultural products from Shandong. At a promotional event in Tokyo on Thursday, former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama expressed his fondness for Shandong, which has many industrial products, agricultural products and seafood.

Shandong representatives are inviting people from around the world, including Japan, to explore its traditional culture, enjoy the magnificent scenery, and experience diverse folk customs.

Bai Yugang, head of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China Shandong Provincial Committee, said Shandong has extensive exchanges with Japan, with close cooperation in various fields such as economy, education, environmental protection and sports. He proposed several initiatives for deepening future exchange and cooperation.

The first is to further strengthen economic cooperation by utilizing various mechanisms, encouraging interested businesses to invest in each other's territories.

Another initiative is to further promote cultural synergy and innovation by enhancing cooperation in fields like film, animation, gaming and digital culture.

Bai also suggested further deepening of exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations, with Confucian culture as the bond, supporting both academic and higher education institutions to conduct regular dialogues.

Other initiatives include broadening two-way tourism interaction and organizing more youth study visits and exchange programs, promoting the continuity of China-Japan friendship in the next generation.

Maintaining long-term healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples and conducive to regional peace and stability, said Yang Yu, minister counselor of the Chinese embassy in Japan.

The leaders of China and Japan reaffirmed the positioning of comprehensively advancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries and agreed to dedicate themselves to jointly building a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era.

It is hoped that both sides will take the important consensus of the two countries' leaders as a guide, grasp the correct direction, deepen pragmatic cooperation, properly handle differences and disputes, and promote the stable and far-reaching development of China-Japan relations, Yang said.

During the promotional event, the Shandong provincial government displayed elements of traditional cultural heritage, innovation in intangible cultural heritage, and green, low-carbon, and high-quality development through pictures, videos and products. A total of more than 60 categories and nearly 1,000 products were exhibited on-site.