Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called on young people from both countries to intensify friendship and boost exchanges and work for a better future of bilateral ties.

Both Wen and Fukuda sent congratulatory messages to the opening ceremony of the China-Japan Friendly Exchange Year of the Youth, held at Beijing's Renmin University Saturday afternoon.

Conveying his support for the youth exchange year, Wen said in his message that the program was of great significance for the youth of both countries to better understand history, the present and future.

"Chinese and Japanese youth not only represent the hopes of each nation, but also shoulder great responsibilities for China and Japan to be friendly for generations to come," said Wen. He encouraged the youth to learn from each other and further promote peace, friendship and cooperation.

Fukuda expressed his support to the increasing exchanges between youth of the two countries. "Only when we truly understand each other can we build up mutual trust," he said in the message.

He suggested the two countries cultivate a young generation of mutual respect and mutual understanding and young people who learn from others's strong points to offset one's weakness for the steady development of relations between the two countries in the next 50 years and 100 years.

He expressed the belief that Japan and China could forge a partnership that both are proud of in the world if through bilateral cooperation, the two countries could foster a batch of people capable of contributing to resolving regional and international issues.

Some 2008 youngsters, 1008 from China and 1000 from Japan, attended the opening ceremony.

The China-Japan Friendly Exchange Year of the Youth was created last year by Wen and Fukuda when the two met over lunch in Singapore at the Asian Summit in November. A memorandum of understanding on the youth exchange year was signed during Fukuda's China visit in December.

It also marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty.

A series of youth exchange activities will be conducted over the course of the year in the fields of culture, academia, environmental protection, science and technology, media, tourism, film and television.

Chinese youth will visit Japan later in the year.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2008)