On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Changchun and Chitose, Japan, a 17-member delegation from Chitose, led by Mayor Ryuichi Yokota and Speaker of the City Council Satoshi Sakano, visited Changchun from October 17 to 19. During their stay in Changchun, the two sides held various exchange activities focusing on economic trade, culture and tourism, sports, and youth exchanges to mark the 20th anniversary of the friendship between the two cities.

 

On the morning of October 18, the Changchun-Chitose Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Meeting was held. At the meeting, Li Yunpeng, member of the Party Leadership Group of the Changchun Municipal People's Government, introduced the basic situation of Changchun and highlighted the continuous exchanges between the two cities for the past 20 years. He noted that even during the three challenging years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two cities provided mutual support. Over the past two decades, through mutual visits by delegations and various exchange activities, the two cities have carried out extensive cooperation in administration, education, agriculture, sports, youth, and economic trade, yielding fruitful results and strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between the governments and citizens of both cities. He also pointed out that Changchun is currently fully implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. Facing important opportunities for high-quality development and sustainable revitalization, the city is writing a new chapter in China's modernization. With deep potential and broad space for cooperation between Changchun and Chitose in fields such as the ice and snow industry, cultural tourism, agriculture, animal husbandry, and optoelectronic information, the two sides were encouraged to expand new areas of cooperation to achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefits. Leaders from Changchun Municipal Bureau of Economic Cooperation, Changchun Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, Changchun Municipal Sport Administration, and Lianhuashan Ecotourism Resort introduced Changchun's investment attraction, cultural tourism resources, sports industry, and Lianhua Mountain's ice and snow tourism. Ryuichi Yokota stated that this visit allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of Changchun and expressed his desire to continuously deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two cities. ITORI SHUJI, Director of the Chitose Tourism and Sports Department, introduced Chitose's situation and its ice and snow tourism resources. The exchange meeting advanced the expansion of economic trade and cultural tourism cooperation between Changchun and Chitose.

 

On the afternoon of October 18, an Ikebana exchange meeting was held at Changchun Rizhang Xueyuan High School. Duan Huaxu, Director General Level Officer (Grade II) from Changchun Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, said in his speech that Ikebana was unique in its artistic appeal and profound cultural connotation, with deep historical ties to China. He hoped that this event would help the youth better understand Japanese culture and showcase the inheritance and charm of traditional Chinese and Japanese cultures. Four senior Ikebana instructors from Chitose demonstrated the exquisite techniques of Ikenobo, a traditional Ikebana school in Japan. Under their guidance, 48 students created their own original flower arrangements, each with distinctive styles. During the reflection session, the students actively shared their thoughts, many of them expressing that the event had deepened their understanding of Japanese culture and inspired greater love for Chinese traditional culture. What's more, this event enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between China and Japan.

 

Additionally, the delegation visited the Changchun Planning Exhibition Hall, where they gained a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of the city's history, current development, and blueprint for planning through vivid and detailed displays and explanations.

 

Chitose, located in Hokkaido, Japan, and known as a key transportation hub in the region, is home to the New Chitose Airport. It enjoys favorable natural conditions and has well-developed agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, industry, and tourism. The city established a sister-city relationship with Changchun in 2004.

 

 

 

Source: Division of Japanese Affairs   Editor: LI Ye