On March 23, 2025 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held a group meeting with the representatives of seven Japan-China friendship groups in Tokyo. The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union and Secretary-General of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Hiroshi Moriyama, President of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade Yohei Kono, as well as leaders of the Japan-China Friendship Association, Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, Japan-China Economic Association, Japan-China Association and Japan-China Friendship Center, among others.

Wang Yi said the world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, with unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, economic globalization confronted with headwinds, and the international order facing severe challenges of increasing turbulence. However, China's development and revitalization represent a boost to the force for peace and stability in the world, and a continuation of development momentum. Facing changes and chaos, China is determined to shoulder its responsibilities and demonstrate its commitments in a manner befitting major countries, uphold the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, work with other nations to safeguard peace and stability in Asia, and promote human development and progress. China will never allow the world to return to a "jungle" where the strong bully the weak. Under the current circumstances, China and Japan, as close neighbors separated by a narrow strip of water and two major global economies, must reassess the value of their relationship, reaffirm the significance of their friendship, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, and consolidate the strength of friendly people-to-people ties to jointly promote the sustained, sound and stable development of China-Japan relations.

Wang Yi said the seven Japan-China friendship groups have long been committed to promoting China-Japan friendship, making unique and important contributions to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations, which China highly appreciates. At present, bilateral relations not only embrace important opportunities for improvement and development, but also need to deal with various challenges and problems. Wang Yi expressed the hope that the seven groups will strengthen confidence, remove disturbances, overcome difficulties, move forward bravely, stick to the general direction of peace, friendship and cooperation between China and Japan, and make new contributions to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the two peoples. First, the political foundation of bilateral relations must be maintained. The China-Japan Joint Statement, confirmed by the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between China and Japan, jointly serves as a legally binding document guiding bilateral relations, which must be strictly observed. In particular, it is crucial to view and handle the historical issues and the Taiwan question correctly, and to resist any words and deeds that distort, alter, undermine, or blur these principles. Second, the tradition of "promoting official exchanges through people-to-people interactions" should be carried forward. Efforts should be made to strengthen dialogue and exchanges in various fields to enhance mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples. Third, efforts should be made to foster future generations who will carry forward the China-Japan friendship. More people from all sectors should be united, especially by encouraging the younger generation to widely participate in the cause of bilateral friendship, ensuring the continuity and further development of lasting friendship between China and Japan.

The representatives of Japan-China friendship groups attending the meeting expressed their gratification for the hard-won momentum of improvement and development of Japan-China relations. They said that peace and friendship are fundamental to relations between countries and are also the greatest security guarantee for a nation. Japan-China friendship is crucial for both countries and their peoples. Facing an international landscape fraught with changes and turbulence, the Japanese side should uphold the principle of "no more war and everlasting friendship". Japan-China friendship groups will remain steadfast in safeguarding the political foundation of bilateral relations, stay committed to promoting Japan-China exchanges, advance people-to-people interactions at local and youth levels at every opportunity, and continuously enhance the friendship between the two peoples, so as to make new contributions to the improvement of Japan-China relations.