Awards ceremony of China-themed photography competition held in Tokyo

Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao delivers a speech at the awards ceremony. (People's Daily Online/Xu Ke)

The awards ceremony of the third Colorful China through the Lens -- China in the Eyes of Japanese Photography Competition was held at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 6.

More than 120 friendly personages from China and Japan attended the ceremony, including Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao, former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio, Huang Xingyuan, China's Representative Director at the Japan-China Friendship Center, and Nagata Tetsuji, Executive Director of the Japan-China Friendship Association.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo sent a congratulatory letter to the competition. Li Ge, president of the China Photographers Association, sent a video message to the competition. They applauded the positive role of the competition in strengthening people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan, and enhancing friendship between the two countries.

The photography competition provides an important platform for Japanese citizens to share their impressions of China. The "China moments" they captured through photography tell "China stories" when put together, Wu said in a speech he delivered at the awards ceremony.

The year 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, and is an important milestone and reminder for the two countries to keep in mind their original aspiration of peace and friendship and look forward to the future, Wu said.

China-Japan relations are faced with complex challenges, which makes it all the more necessary to enhance the confidence in people-to-people friendship between the two countries, promote people-to-people exchanges, shape objective and positive cognition, and enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust. This consolidates the public opinion foundation for a China-Japan relationship that meets the needs of the new era, Wu noted.

Exchanges in the fields of culture and tourism are an important form of people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan, said Tang Weihong, chairperson of the Supervisory Board of People's Daily Online, in a speech she delivered at the awards ceremony.

Participants of the competition photographed historical sites, natural scenery, folk customs and the vibrant city life in China, conveying their friendly feelings and goodwill toward China and showcasing the beauty of China, said Tang.

The many entries submitted to the competition attest to the friendship between China and Japan and embody the firm foundation of friendly people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, said Hatoyama Yukio.

The photography competition was initiated by Chinese Embassy in Japan. First launched in 2016, the event has been held three times and received more than 3,000 entries from Japanese photography enthusiasts. The third session of the competition was launched in mid-November 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties, and welcome the 45th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan.

Award-winning photos of Colorful China through the Lens -- China in the Eyes of Japanese Photography Competition

Works of Colorful China through the Lens -- China in the Eyes of Japanese Photography Competition