On November 25th, Fujian and Okinawa celebrated their 25th anniversary of sister relationship online. Senior diplomats from both countries and officials from both provinces attended the event.

Zhao Long, Governor of Fujian Province, and Tamaki Deni, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture addressed the event online. Zhao Long extended congratulations on the 25th anniversary of the friendship. He said that President Xi Jinping highly values China-Japan relations and personally promoted exchanges between Fujian and Okinawa during his tenure in Fujian. The two sides should leverage their geographical proximity, cultural affinity to promote economic cooperation and people-to-people and youth exchanges as their contribution to China-Japan friendship and cooperation.

Tamaki Deni expressed his gratitude towards those who have facilitated and contributed to the development of Fujian-Okinawa friendship and expectation for greater cooperation with Fujian in a broader range of areas to boost respective local development.

Moriyuki Teruya, Vice President of Okinawa Prefectural Assembly read out an address on behalf of President Noboru Akamine, who said that the distinctive Okinawa culture was fostered along its exchanges with Fujian and the Prefectural Assembly is ready to work with the Prefectural Government to deepen cultural and economic exchanges with Fujian.

Kong Xuanyou, Chinese Ambassador to Japan, sent a congratulatory letter in which he spoke highly of the close and fruitful exchanges between Fujian and Okinawa and hoped that the two sides can strengthen mutual ties to contribute to China-Japan relations in the new era.

In their video speeches, Lyu Guijun, Consul General of China in Fukuoka, and Kamei Keiji, Consul General of Japan in Guangzhou, expressed their belief in and readiness for further exchanges and cooperation between the two provinces.

At the event, Fujian Foreign Affairs Office signed an agreement on government-sponsored student exchange program with Okinawa. Two pots of wine were sealed in the two places respectively in celebration of the 25th anniversary and in expectation of an even better quarter-century to come.