41 years ago today, on March 23, 1984 (February 21, 1984 in the lunar calendar), the China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century was established. The "21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship" was proposed by Prime Minister Nakasone during Comrade Hu Yaobang's visit to Japan in 1983 in response to Comrade Hu Yaobang's proposition on seeking long-term and stable development of China-Japan good-neighborly and friendly relations. On March 23, 1984, during Prime Minister Nakasone's visit to China, China and Japan unanimously agreed to establish the "China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century." Japan calls the committee the "21st Century Committee for Japan-China Friendship." The tasks of the committee are: in accordance with the basic principles of the Sino-Japanese Government Joint Statement and the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and in accordance with the four principles of "peace and friendship, equality and mutual benefit, mutual trust, and long-term stability", study ways to long-term and stable development of China-Japan good-neighborly and friendly relations from a broad perspective such as politics, economy, culture, science and technology, and make recommendations to the two governments. The China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century has 10 members from each side, composed of representatives from Laos, China and Youth, and has a broad mass character. The chief member of the Chinese committee is Wang Zhaoguo, former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, and the chief member of the Japanese committee is Tadao Ishikawa, President of Keio University in Japan. The daily working bodies of the committees of both sides are located in the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Asian Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century is a link to strengthen the friendship between the two peoples. Its establishment marks the further deepening of friendly relations between China and Japan. The realization of Sino-Japanese friendship in the 21st century not only conforms to the fundamental interests of the Chinese and Japanese peoples and future generations, but also benefits peace in Asia and the world. In September 1984, the China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century held its first meeting in Tokyo, Japan. Chinese Chief Member Wang Zhaoguo issued the Keynote Report, while Japanese Chief Member Tadao Ishikawa delivered the Keynote Report on the Medium-and Long-Term Outlook of Japan-China Relations. In the report, Wang Zhaoguo put forward the four symbols for achieving greater friendship between China and Japan in the 21st century have become the common understanding of both China and Japan. Turning the 21st century into a more friendly century between China and Japan has become the common goal of the committees of both China and Japan. As a concrete result of this meeting, the two sides decided to establish special committees on China-Japan and long-term relations, economic and technological exchanges, and youth cultural exchanges. The establishment of a "China-Japan Youth Exchange Center" in Beijing was also proposed and approved at this meeting. In early September 1992, the China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century held its 8th meeting at the Xiangshan Hotel in Beijing. At this meeting, Chinese members headed by Chief Member Zhang Xiangshan and Japanese members headed by Tadao Ishikawa conducted extensive discussions on ways to consolidate and develop China-Japan good-neighborly and friendly relations for the 21st century. A joint document was adopted and published at the closing ceremony. Members from both sides unanimously expressed that they would use 1992 as a new starting point for Sino-Japanese relations towards the 21st century and jointly make positive contributions to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.