BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- "Whenever I return to Beijing, it never feels like going abroad. Arriving at Beijing capital airport feels just like coming home," said Masayuki Inoue, vice chairman of Japan-China Friendship Association of Tokyo.
When he was 19, Inoue came to Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) to study. He went on to complete both his undergraduate and graduate degrees there. Recently, in his capacity as deputy head of a Tokyo youth delegation to China, he led a group of 50 members back to his alma mater, a visit filled with emotion and memories.
At the invitation of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the delegation visited Beijing from May 12 to 16. During their stay, they engaged in in-depth exchanges with Chinese youth and experienced firsthand the rich cultural heritage and vibrant innovation of China’s capital city, where ancient traditions meet modern life.
Reflecting on his years studying in China, Inoue said the most important years of his life were spent at BLCU and in Beijing.
"That’s why I feel a deep emotional connection to China," Inoue said, adding that it was during those formative years that he found his life’s calling -- to promote friendship between Japan and China, especially by fostering youth exchange.
Notably, the seeds of such exchanges have already taken root and begun to grow in the hearts of some delegation members.
"I want to know more about Chinese culture and the Chinese people," said Koki Itaya, a delegation member who works for an insurance company.
In November 2024, China announced an expansion of its visa-free policy, granting temporary visa exemptions to holders of ordinary passports from several countries, including Japan.
As soon as the policy was introduced, Itaya set off for China. "I came here because I wanted to explore."
In Chongqing in the southwest of China, he sampled authentic hotpot late at night.
Reflecting on his first visit, he described being amazed by the city’s towering skyline and the energy of its crowds.
What touched him even more was the warmth and friendliness of the Chinese people.
"In my first visit, I had some trouble doing payment riding the subway, one of the passengers helped me," Itaya said.
"It’s not like this one time. Every time I come, Chinese people help me," Itaya told Xinhua, saying during each visit, he has better impressions towards China.
Itaya has already visited China four times in 2025, using gaps provided by public holidays for his trips.
The Japanese youth delegation visited the Forbidden City, climbed the Great Wall, and experienced rural life in a Beijing suburb during the recent visit to China. In addition to these cultural heritage attractions and the idyllic countryside of the Chinese capital, the Japanese visitors were also immersed in the powerful wave of modern development in Beijing.
A fine example of the latter is the Beijing "Asia No. 1" digitally intelligent logistics center of JD Logistics, owned by JD.com, a leading supply chain-based technology and service provider in China. The center spans an area roughly the size of 20 football fields and is equipped with a range of advanced technologies that significantly enhance operational efficiency.
Among them, more than 100 "Ground Wolf" AGVs (automated ground vehicles) navigate the facility using QR code markers on the floor and automatically plan routes, while both accurately locating and transporting shelves. This advanced system represents a fundamental shift in logistics -- from the traditional model of "people searching for goods" to one "goods finding people."
JD Logistics drones on display at the park sparked great interest from Ai Horike, a student from Keio University. Capable of carrying loads of 10 to 15 kilograms, these drones have already undergone test flights in remote mountainous regions and areas affected by natural disasters, offering an innovative solution for logistics in hard-to-reach locations.
"China’s development is incredibly fast. Especially in the past 20 years, which have seen a complete transformation," she said.
"This was my first time visiting a logistics park, and I was deeply impressed by the scale and efficiency of the facility," said Kenshin Obara, a student from the University of Osaka, who specializes in research concerning remotely operated robots powered by artificial intelligence.
Obara also stated that in Japan, same-day delivery is still relatively uncommon. "I feel that logistics in China is much faster."
The Beijing Municipal Government in September 2020 launched a project designed to build the world’s first high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone integrating vehicles, roads and cloud infrastructure, centered in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA).
To date, this demonstration zone has managed to establish intelligent infrastructure deployment across 600 square kilometers, and has attracted over 30 enterprises which deploy more than 1,000 autonomous vehicles, while recording total autonomous driving test mileage exceeding 35 million kilometers. A dedicated autonomous driving service is also on offer, connecting the BDA and Daxing International Airport in the south of Beijing.
The Japanese youth delegation toured the innovation operation center of the demonstration zone, where they learned about application scenarios involving delivery vehicles, autonomous minibuses, unmanned retail vehicles and robotic street cleaners. They also took a ride on an autonomous minibus.
"New technologies instantly gave me a sense of what the future might be like. It left me wondering what kind of world awaits us." Shoko Sen, a Keio University student, said she was surprised to see that autonomous minibuses were already operating on real city roads and not just in controlled test environments.
Osamu Nakano, executive vice president of Japan-China Friendship Association of Tokyo and head of the delegation, has visited China on more than 30 occasions. Shortly after the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, he set foot on Chinese soil as a Japanese government official participating in a bilateral exchange program.
Recalling that first trip, Nakano revealed that memories of this trip remain vivid even now. It was then that he first became interested in learning Chinese. However, due to the overwhelming demand for Chinese language classes in Japan at that time, he didn’t begin learning until several years later.
Currently, he sees a reflection of his younger self in the Japanese youth of this 2025 delegation. During an encounter in an elevator at BLCU, one delegation member excitedly told him about new friendships with Chinese students, expressing hope to return to Beijing for a reunion.
"My first visit to China left a lasting impression. I believe this trip will leave equally profound memories in their hearts," Nakano said.
"We hope the youth can spark ideas through exchange and sow the seeds of friendship via dialogue," said Zhang Qian, executive vice president of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
Inoue expressed his hope that Japanese youth would take this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the real lives of Chinese people, and to learn more about the thoughts and perspectives of Chinese youth. Through this, he hopes they can develop a more well-rounded understanding of China.
He also revealed that discussions are currently underway with his alma mater, BLCU, with plans to organize a return visit to Beijing for delegation members in the future -- aiming to promote the sustainable development of youth exchanges between Japan and China.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0519/c90000-20316372.html