Qian Hongjie, vice-president of the Guangdong People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (GPAFFC), met with Toda Hirohisa, chairman of the Japan Rhythm Dance Federation, in Guangzhou on December 4.

Qian warmly welcomed Toda and praised his long-standing efforts in fostering friendly exchanges between Chinese and Japanese youth. She highlighted the crucial role of young people in shaping the future of China-Japan relations and emphasized the importance of building mutual understanding and exchanges between the younger generations.

Qian Hongjie, vice-president of the Guangdong People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (GPAFFC), meets with Toda Hirohisa, chairman of the Japan Rhythm Dance Federation, in Guangzhou on December 4. [Photo/gdfao.gd.gov.cn]

Qian reaffirmed GPAFFC's commitment to working with friendly organizations like the Japan Rhythm Dance Federation to deepen people-to-people exchanges and foster cultural understanding between Guangdong and Japan. During the meeting, Qian presented Toda with the "Guangdong Friendship Award" medal and an honorary certificate recognizing him as a special overseas council member of the 11th GPAFFC Council.

Toda's visit primarily focused on efforts to revive the China-Japan youth aerobics exchanges conference in 2025. During his stay in Guangdong from December 2 to 5, Toda visited Yunfu and Dongguan, met with local education officials, and inspected potential venues. He also visited Guangzhou Sport University, where he exchanged ideas with university leaders.

The China-Japan Youth Aerobics Exchanges Conference, first launched in 2001 by GPAFFC and the Japan Rhythm Dance Federation, has been successfully held 13 times across 20 cities in Guangdong.

Toda, a special overseas council member of the 10th and 11th GPAFFC Councils, was awarded the inaugural "Guangdong Friendship Award" in 2023.