On October 24, 2008, a reception in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the People’s Republic of China and Japan (China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship) was held in the Golden Hall, the Great Hall of the People. Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso attended and addressed the reception.

Autumn is the best season in Beijing. In October, the climate in Beijing is quite pleasant. The Golden Hall, the Great Hall of the People, is gloriously bright. At a quarter past twelve, Hu Jintao and Taro Aso arrived at the lounge on the south of the Golden Hall and took a group photo with the guests coming to attend the reception. When the two countries walked into the Golden Hall, all the guests stood up and warmly applauded, welcoming them.

Hu pointed out in his speech that 30 years ago the older generation of statesmen of the two countries such as Mr. Deng Xiaoping and Mr. Takeo Fukuda, based upon their accurate assessment of the situation and great foresight, made a strategic decision to promote the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. This is another important historical document for bilateral relations after the Joint Statement signed by the two governments in 1972, when the two countries normalized diplomatic relations. The China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, has for the first time nailed down the general direction of bilateral ties featuring peaceful co-existence and long-term friendship in the form of a treaty and confirmed the important principles stipulated in the Joint Statement. It has played an important role in pushing forward the bilateral ties toward the right direction.

Hu stressed that over the past 30 years since the conclusion of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, peace, friendship and cooperation, despite twists and turns, have always been the mainstream of China-Japan relations. China-Japan friendship and cooperation has witnessed great development in various fields. The two sides have issued China-Japan Joint Declaration and China-Japan Joint Statement on All-round Promotion of Strategic Relationship of Mutual Benefit. These two documents, together with the China-Japan Joint Statement and China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, constitute the principles guiding the development of bilateral relations and lay a political foundation for the long-term and stable development of bilateral ties.

Hu pointed out that Today’s achievements of China-Japan friendship and cooperation are hard won. For a long time, regardless of the changes in international and domestic situations, people from all walks of life, including the seven Japan-China friendship organizations, always uphold the faith in China-Japan friendship and have made hard, tireless, arduous and painstaking efforts for the cause of China-Japan friendship. Here, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, I wish to pay a tribute to all of Japan’s friendship groups and people for their important contributions to China-Japan friendship.

Hu said that China-Japan relations have stood at a new historical starting point and are facing new and important development opportunities and broader room for development. We are ready to work together with the Japanese side to firmly uphold the right direction of bilateral relations, enhance mutual political trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and expand friendly exchanges so as to promote the in-depth, sustained and healthy development of China-Japan strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.

Taro Aso said in his speech that 30 years have passed. Japan and China have carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of areas. The development of China-Japan relations today is a result of the hard efforts of the people committed to the friendship between Japan and China. Japan and China are permanent neighbors and Japan-China relationship is an essential mutual partnership. The two countries should continue to carry out dialogues and exchanges at various levels and strengthen consultations and cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation so as to achieve common development. The two countries should also be committed to the stability and prosperity in Asia and the world at large.

The reception was also attended by Li Jianguo, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, CPPCC National Committee vice chairmen Sun Jiazheng, Tang Jiaxuan, and Song Jian, the leaders of the relevant Chinese departments and organizations, former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama and leaders of Japan's friendship organizations.

On October 23, 1978, Deng Xiaoping, the then Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council and Takeo Fukuda, the then Prime Minister of Japan, attended the ceremony for the exchange of instruments of ratification of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The treaty entered into effect and became one of the basic documents guiding the development of China-Japan relations.