The 11th China-Japan Education Exchange Conference has been held in Tokyo as representatives from over 100 universities and educational institutions gathered to discuss new directions for bilateral educational cooperation.

The conference on Sunday, themed "Mutual Learning and Collaborative Innovation -- Looking Ahead to the Next Decade of China-Japan Educational Exchange," also attracted nearly 1,000 educators and experts.

In his remarks, Zhao Baogang, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Japan, said educational exchange remains a vital and long-term component of China-Japan relations.

Currently, around 130,000 Chinese students are studying in Japan, and more than 600 Japanese high schools offer Chinese language courses, he said.

Over 9,000 inter-university cooperation agreements have been signed between the two countries, Zhao noted, expressing hope that the conference would inject new vitality into bilateral education ties and contribute to the long-term development of China-Japan relations.

Takafumi Yamamoto, associate managing director of the University of Tokyo, emphasized the importance of providing more international opportunities for young students.

He noted that cross-border learning and communication broaden academic horizons and enhance mutual cultural understanding, saying that understanding diverse ways of thinking will be a valuable asset for the younger generation.

During the conference, five thematic sub-forums were held, including the China-Japan University Presidents Forum, Basic Education Forum, and Vocational Education Exchange Meeting, focusing on internationalization, talent cultivation, and institutional collaboration.

The event was hosted by the China Education Association for International Exchange and co-organized by the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Center and Chuo University.