A former senior Chinese diplomat praised the journey of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda to Beijing last December as a "wonderful visit."
I was in Beijing less than 10 days after Fukuda's trip and was pleased to hear many Chinese laud the speech at Beijing University as "having elucidated to both the Chinese leadership and general population the rationale for and importance of healthy China-Japan relations."
It is indeed gratifying to note that the rapprochement between China and Japan initiated by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in late 2006 has continued under Fukuda.