Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng showed support for the upcoming World Exposition in Osaka and pledged to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in China as he met Wednesday with a business delegation from the neighboring country, the group said.
He told the business leaders from western Japan’s Kansai area, which includes the expo’s host city, that it is important to “overcome challenges and achieve win-win” outcomes, according to group members.
Masayoshi Matsumoto, co-head of the delegation and chairman of Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., stressed the need to make sure workers for Japanese companies operating in China can feel safe amid a recent series of random attacks in the country with victims including Japanese nationals.
The vice premier expressed hope that the Kansai business community will continue to make use of China’s development opportunities and deepen practical cooperation for mutual benefit, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The Kansai group last sent a delegation to China in 2012, with members meeting then Vice President Xi Jinping. The business community first dispatched such a mission in 1971.
On Wednesday, the Kansai group held an event at a Beijing hotel to promote the Osaka Expo to Chinese tourism industry representatives. The expo will run from April 13 to Oct. 13 next year.
Matsumoto told a press conference the expo will be a “great opportunity to mutually increase a sense of closeness” between the two Asian neighbors, adding that he expects many Chinese visitors for the event.
