On October 31, Sakashita Shigenobu, Chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Inheritance and Development Association, visited Wuhan University (WHU) and met with Shen Zhuanghai, the standing deputy party secretary of WHU. Also present at the meeting were Professor Hu Dekun and Professor Zeng Hui from the Wuhan University China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies. The meeting was hosted by Gui Ling, deputy director of the Office of International Affairs.

Sakashita Shigenobu (left), Chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Inheritance and Development Association, and Shen Zhuanghai (right), standing deputy party secretary of WHU

Professor Shen Zhuanghai warmly welcomed Mr. Shigenobu on his visit to the university. He briefly introduced the history of WHU, its academic development and its extensive international collaborations. He underscored WHU’s active engagement with Japanese universities and expressed gratitude to Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, former Japanese prime minister, and Mr. Shigenobu for their efforts in fostering Sino-Japanese friendship.  Professor Shen also noted that this year marks the 130th anniversary of WHU’s foundation, symbolizing a new chapter for WHU to strengthen its ties with Japanese institutions.

Mr. Shigenobu expressed his appreciation of WHU’s cordial reception. He shared his experience of fostering the ties between China and Japan over the past forty years and highlighted the potential for further progress in non-governmental exchanges between young people and college students from both sides at the advent of the 45th anniversary of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. He therefore looked forward to in-depth and sustained cross-cultural interaction with WHU and other Chinese universities.

Sakashita Shigenobu has been engaged in Sino-Japanese economic and non-governmental exchange since 1980, establishing the Japan-China Friendship Inheritance and Development Association in 2018 with Former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. The association aims to carry forward the legacy of its predecessors who made great contributions to the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations and to promote enduring friendship between both countries for generations to come.

Edited by Zhang Jing, Peng Mengke, Cao Hangqian

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/vkMeuaAGYCV9QFhm4HoLnw