Cheng Xiaogong, assistant chief of general staff of the PLA, met with the delegation of the Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Foundation and young and middle-aged military officers of the Japanese Self-Defense Force in Beijing on July 1.

　　Cheng Xiaogong first expressed thanks to the Japanese side for the helpful assistance provided to China when the massive earthquake struck Wenchuan in Sichuan Province. He expressed the hope that the Chinese and Japanese people-to-people friendship organizations such as the Sasakawa Japan-China Friendship Foundation would continue to work for developing the bilateral relations, enhancing friendship between the two peoples, and promoting exchanges and cooperation in various fields including the defense field between the two countries.

　　Ogata Takeju, chairman of a Japanese financial group and head of the delegation, indicated that he was willing to continue to do his bit for promoting the friendly relations between Japan and China, enhancing friendship between the two peoples and promoting exchanges between young and middle-aged military officers of the two countries.

　　By Zhou Feng

　　(July 2, PLA Daily)                                       Editor: Ouyang Dongmei