Li Bin, Vice-Chairperson of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairperson of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF), headed a delegation to visit Japan and Mongolia from June 17 to 21. She met with political figures, chiefs of relevant institutions and enterprises, and friendly individuals, attended thematic exhibitions, engaged in friendly exchanges, and conducted public welfare donation.

During the visit to Japan, Li attended the separate opening ceremonies of photography exhibitions titled "Sun Yat-sen, Soong Ching Ling and Japan" in Tokyo and Kobe.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, and the 100th anniversary of the death of Sun, Li said that the organization of the thematic photography exhibitions by the CSCLF and the Chinese Embassy in Japan was designed to further promote the noble ideals of both Sun and Soong, strengthen the people-to-people exchanges and bonds, and make positive contributions to the sound development of bilateral relations in the new era.

Li said that the CSCLF is willing to work together with its new and old friends toward expanding the two-way exchanges between young people of the two countries, undertaking exchanges and cooperation in more fields, and advancing the healthy as well as stable development of China-Japan ties.

The two thematic exhibition events brought together Takeshi Noda, President of the Japan-China Society; Yuji Miyamoto, President of the Japan-China Friendship Center; Hisao Shintaku, President of Kanto Japan-China Peace and Friendship Association; Kazuhiro Uozumi, Chief of Kobe Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall; descendants of both Sun and Soong's Japanese friends such as Kōseki Miyazaki and Fumino Kosaka, officials of Hyogo, representative of the Japan-China Friendship Center, the Japan Soong Ching Ling Foundation's Japan-China Joint Program Committee and Kanshi Soong Ching Ling Foundation; and Japanese experts, as well as scholars who have been involved in the research of Sun and Soong for a long time.

Li held a meeting with former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Li said that China and Japan are close and important neighbors. President Xi Jinping held a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima of Peru in November 2024, providing key political guidance for the further development of bilateral relations. It is imperative for the two countries to deepen dialogues and exchanges in various fields, strengthen mutual understanding and trust between people of the two nations, rally people from all social sectors, and ask Chinese and Japanese youth to carry forward the ever-lasting friendship between the two countries because the basis of China-Japan friendship lies in people of the two countries. The CSCLF looks forward to bolstering exchanges and cooperation with relevant Japanese organizations in culture and youth fields so as to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations and deliver more benefits to people of the two countries.

Hatoyama extended a warm welcome to Li for her visit. He emphasized the utmost importance of Japan-China friendship to the two countries, reviewed the history of his interactions with the CSCLF, hailed the foundation's tremendous contributions to the development of Japan-China friendship, underscored the significance of youth exchange, and called on the two nations to intensify exchanges and cooperation and further deepen mutual understanding.

Li met with Kōsek Miyazaki, a descendant of Toten Miyazaki, who was one of Japanese friends of both Sun and Soong.

Li looked back at the exchanges between the CSCLF and the Miyazaki family, spoke highly of the Japanese family's extraordinary support to both Sun and Chinese revolution as well as its special contributions to the China-Japan friendship, and read historical materials about the interactions of Sun, Soong and Chinese leaders with friendly Japanese individuals like Toten Miyazaki. She urged young generations of the family to carry forward traditional friendship with China, strengthen their contact and exchanges with the CSCLF, take part in the research, dissemination and promotion of lofty convictions of Sun and Soong, and play a larger role in the advancement of friendship between people of the two nations.

Kōseki conveyed thanks to Li for her visit at home and stressed the long friendship history of the Miyazaki family with Sun and Soong. During the past years, many people of his family have visited China and taken part in the promotion of bilateral relations. He added that young people of the family will remember history and continue with their participation in the Japan-China friendship affairs.

During her visit to Japan, Li also met with Tadashi Yanai, Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. They held talks over the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the public welfare sector and the promotion of youth exchange. She also visited a Chinese language school in Kobe.

In the visit to Mongolia, Li held separate meetings with Bulgan Tumur, Deputy Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament; Ch. Nomin, Mongolian Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport; and Chimed Saikhanbileg, Mongolian Health Minister.

In her meeting with Tumur, Li said that President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in October 2024 and that the top leaders of the two countries agreed to stride hand in hand, further deepen bilateral cooperation and deliver more benefits to people of the two countries under the guidance of building a China-Mongolia community with a shared future. The CSCLF is willing to implement consensus reached between the two heads of state, bolster its cooperation with relevant Mongolian organizations in cultural, education and public welfare sectors, invite more Mongolian youth to visit China and take part in youth cultural exchange activities such as the Silk Road Future Initiative and Junior Cultural Ambassador Initiative.

Tumur said that Mongolia-China relations have maintained a sound development momentum under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state. She gave an introduction to Mongolian women's political participation and career development as well as youth's international exchanges, and noted that she will provide relevant Mongolian institutions with full support in their collaboration with the CSCLF and strengthen civil and youth exchanges between the two nations.

When meeting with Nomin, Li said that the two sides should take the signing of the cooperation memorandum as a new starting point, further deepen bilateral exchanges and achieve more tangible results in bilateral cooperation. Nomin agreed that the two countries should further bolster bilateral exchanges and cooperation and strengthen bilateral cooperation under the framework of the strategic memorandum.

In the meeting with Saikhanbileg, Li noted that the CSCLF will conduct more exchanges and cooperation with relevant Mongolian agencies in such fields as public welfare, health and youth. Saikhanbileg said that the CSCLF-donated medical facilities will deliver real benefits to local people, and help Mongolia improve its grassroots medical services, and expressed a willingness to deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Li also attended the signing ceremony of the cooperation memorandum between the CSCLF and the Mongolian Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and the donation ceremony of medical apparatuses to Mongolia in collaboration with China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd and Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd., and visited Mongolian Youth Art and Creativity Center.

Those in attendance of relevant activities included Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao, Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Shen Minjuan, and Vice-Chairperson of the CSCLF Zhang Jiming.