[Video/iqilu.com]

Kong Xuanyou, China's ambassador to Japan, delivered a speech during the Japan-Shandong Industrial Cooperation and Exchange event via video on July 30.

He said that China and Japan are important economic and trade partners, and that amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have helped each other fight the virus, demonstrating their strong friendship.

"Shandong, located on China's eastern coast, is an important leader in China's opening-up," the ambassador said.

"In the new era, Shandong is adhering to a new development philosophy, and has been working to convert old growth drivers into new ones, promote the marine economy, revitalize rural areas, and further pursue opening up so as to advance high-quality development."

He said that in recent years, Shandong has achieved rapid development in many areas, including the economy, society, the environment, and cultural tourism. Its GDP and development level are among the highest in China.

"Economic and trade cooperation between Shandong and Japan has broad prospects and strong potential," said Kong.

"Shandong attaches great importance to its cooperation with Japan and has established 19 pairs of sister-city relations with the country. The two sides enjoy frequent exchange in various fields, yielding fruitful results in economic and trade cooperation as well as cultural and people-to-people exchange."

He said that this event will spread awareness among Japanese people of Shandong's determination to continue opening up and its sincerity and enthusiasm in developing economic and trade cooperation with Japan in the new era.

He expressed hope that the two sides would take the event and the listing of Qingdao as a demonstration area for China-Japan development and cooperation as opportunities to expand cooperation in marine economy, manufacturing, health care, culture, tourism and more, contributing to the sound, stable, and long-term development of Japan-China relations.