Former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto on Thursday embarked on a two-day visit to China to attend a reception commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 1978 peace and friendship treaty between the two countries on behalf of Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.Former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama and former Lower House Speaker Yoshio Sakurauchi will also attend the event, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka said Thursday.Hashimoto also plans to meet Chinese President Jiang Zemin and give him Obuchi's letter welcoming Jiang's scheduled visit to Japan in November, according to the top government spokesman.Jiang is scheduled to arrive in Japan on Nov. 25 and stay until the end of the month. But the details of his itinerary and length of stay have yet to be decided.
