Wisdom in historical mirror

In the winter of 2007, then Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda visited China and was entertained by President Hu Jintao a banquet at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. At the majestic occasion, Fukuda extended his Chinese host an invitation to return a visit to his country the next Spring, at best at the time when Japanese cherry trees are in full blossom, Tang Jiaxuan, former State Councillor and former foreign minister who attended the event, recalled.

"It becomes more and more unclear when Japanese cherry trees on earth would be in blossom. Once President Hu's Japan-bound agenda is set, they would feel assured to blossom," Fukuda joked in a humorous tone.

As expected, President Hu made a Spring-warming visit to Japan. A joint statement signed by the Chinese president and Fukuda on pushing for a strategic and reciprocal partnership signaled that relations between the two neighbors have finally come to a starting point after undergoing ups and downs in the few previous years.