Beijing, Tokyo officials set to meet next month

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-01 07:28

The Fourth Beijing-Tokyo Forum will open in the Japanese capital next month.

The three-day forum, which will start from September 15, is jointly organized by China Daily and the Japanese nonprofit organization, Genron NPO. Beijing and Tokyo take turns to host the forum.

This year, government officials and scholars from both countries will discuss such topics as politics, economic cooperation, the media, grain supply, food safety, the environment, security and disaster relief.

A high-ranking Chinese official will be invited to give a talk on China's 30-year experience of reform and opening up.

In a message to the fourth forum, Zhu Ling, editor-in-chief of China Daily, said it is expected to make new contributions to the advancement of bilateral ties by narrowing misunderstanding and garnering wisdom from the elites of the two countries.

Yasushi Kudo, head of Genron NPO, said the forum is a platform not only for friendship, but also for seeking substantial consensus.

About 40 to 50 Chinese participants including those at ministerial level will take part in the forum.

Sadakazu Tanigaki, the policy chief of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, is also expected to attend the discussions.

Kyoto Prefectural Governor Keiji Yamada, and Shimane Prefectural Governor Mizoguchi Zenbe, are also expected to join Chinese officials in talks on the two economies. The results of an opinion poll on bilateral ties, conducted by the forum, will also be released next month.