Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed Thursday in Tokyo to push forward cultural exchanges, which serve as bonds linking the two countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the China-Japan Culture and Sports Exchange Year, Wen said that economy and culture have been the two bonds linking China and Japan in their friendly exchanges over the past more than 2,000 years.

He described culture as the language of the soul and art as the carrier of the people's feeling, saying that "culture and art can bridge the souls of the peoples."

Abe called politics and economy as the two "wheels" to speed up bilateral ties, and culture as the bond, adding that the two peoples should learn about the cultures of each other.

The event was launched to mark the 35th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Wen held out the hope that the show put up by Chinese artists at the ceremony could help the Japanese people better understand the Chinese tradition and culture.

Wen arrived here Wednesday for a three-day official visit. The Chinese premier will leave for Kyoto on Friday.

Source: Xinhua