Chinese Ambassador to Japan and young diplomats visited our university and interacted with students

On Friday, December 20, 2024, Mr. Wu Jianghao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Japan, and a delegation from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan visited our university and met with President Yoshiaki Terumichi, Vice President for Global Academic Affairs Tetsuro Morishita, and Vice President for Academic Affairs Takashi Irohara, and also had the opportunity to interact with our students.

President Yoshiaki Terumichi and Mr. Wu Jianghao, Ambassador Extraordinary

During the meeting with the President, both parties agreed to further promote student exchange, which is the foundation of future Japan-China relations, and to cooperate in fostering individuals who will play an active role in international organizations as a key issue.

Meeting with students and ten young diplomats

At the meeting with students, ten young diplomats from the Embassy and Sophia students exchanged views on how to further promote Japan-China relations in the future. Moderated by Yasuko Tsuru, Dean of the Faculty of Global Studies, the students were divided into five groups and engaged in lively discussions. Among the participating students, a wide range of questions were raised, such as what the requirements are to pass the exam to become a diplomat, or what do they think about the tensions between the U.S. and China. The science students also offered concrete opinions on how private companies in Japan and China could develop space exploration together by sharing technology with each other. The diplomats shared stories of what surprised them when they studied in Japan and said that they hope that when they visit China, they will also visit the countryside and experience the good old days of China. They also shared the view that we should not only promote exchanges at the diplomatic level, but also exchanges at the grassroots level between individuals and civilians in order to improve international relations by pooling the wisdom of both sides.

After the discussion, Ambassador Wu thanked the students and said, “It is important to visit other countries to deepen a true understanding of world affairs, and I hope you will take the opportunity of the resumption of the short-stay visa waiver program from Japan to China to visit China more often”. The President also noted that the ideas generated through exchanges among the younger generation would provide energy to further promote international relations, and since Sophia University has a large number of partner universities in China, he encouraged the students to visit China.

Finally, Ms. Yoh Yamashita of the Department of Global Studies, Faculty of Global Studies, presented a bouquet of flowers to Ambassador Wu on behalf of the students. A commemorative photo was taken with all members of the group. After the meeting, some of the young diplomats and students continued to chat with each other. This showed that this exchange meeting was a wonderful opportunity to enhance mutual understanding.

Sophia University

For Others, With Others