On January 28, 2008, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Chinese and Japanese members of the new 21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Yang spoke highly of the positive role that the committee has played in pushing for the improvement and development of China-Japan relations since its inception in 2003 and hailed the great success of the just-concluded seventh meeting of the committee. The two-day meeting focused on how to implement the consensus reached during Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's China visit last month and on Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming trip to Japan. Members to the meeting also gave good advice on the long-term stable development of China-Japan relations. Yang expressed hope that the members of both sides will play a greater role in promoting bilateral friendly cooperative relations in the future.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei and Japanese Ambassador to China Yuji Miyamoto attended the meeting.