Hu´s visit to Jan. ballet troope rekindles old ties

An old friendship was renewed during the final day of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Tokyo. He visited a family-run Japanese ballet troupe that has long served as a friendly bridge between China and Japan.

President Hu Jintao received a warm welcome by members of the Matsuyama Ballet,Thursday. The ballet company has had a mission dedicated to Sino-Japanese friendship over six decades.

Hu Jintao was there to visit the Ballet's founders Masao Shimizu and Mikiko Matsuyama, who are old friends of China.

In 1955, Mikiko and her husband choreographed "The White-Haired Girl" based on a well-known Chinese revolutionary story. The ballet troupe premiered the dance in Beijing in 1958. The ballet became an immediate sensation. Since then, the troupe has paid a dozen visits to China. Shimizu himself has visited China more than a hundred times.

Old footage of the troupe's performances in China brought back old memories.

Later, dancers performed a segment, adapted from the famous Chinese symphony, "The Yellow River Cantata". Everyone was moved by dancers' interpretation.

After viewing the performance, Hu Jintao said that over the past half century, the troupe has stuck to the ideal of building the Sino-Japanese friendship. He said the ballet has actively promoted cultural exchanges between the two countries. The troupe played a unique role in boosting understanding between the two peoples. The Chinese president says it is sure to play even greater roles during the next 60 years.

The Shimizu family said that they were deeply moved by President Hu Jintao personal visit to their troupe. They said it was a great encouragement for those who devoted themselves to the cause of Japan-China friendship.