China, Japan discuss cooperation in first cultural talks in 9 years

TOKYO — Senior officials have discussed cooperation at the 14th meeting of the China-Japan Intergovernmental Consultation Mechanism on Cultural Exchange here on April 23.

It was the first meeting of the intergovernmental consultation mechanism after a nine-year hiatus.

Representatives of the related ministries and agencies and cultural institutions of the two countries held frank discussions on the current situation and problems of cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan during the meeting.

The two sides fully affirmed the supporting functions of the intergovernmental consultation mechanism for promoting the development of bilateral cultural relationship and decided to hold the consultations alternately in the two countries on a regular basis.

They also decided to promote institutionalized people-to-people exchanges at various levels in the next 10 years, discuss setting up information sharing mechanism and platform and conduct extensive cultural industry cooperation and Olympic cultural cooperation.

The Chinese side also invited Japanese cultural institutions and enterprises to take part in international exhibitions in China, such as the first China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai in November.

Xie Jinying, director general of the bureau for external cultural relations in China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Manabu Miyagawa, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's director general for cultural affairs, co-hosted the meeting.