Guests attending National Day receptions congratulate People's Republic of China on 75th founding anniversary

Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan, Australia and New Zealand have hosted receptions to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, with guests expressing admiration for China’s achievements over the past decades.

The Chinese Embassy in Japan on Sept. 26 held a National Day reception attended by representatives from different walks of life.

"Through hard work, the Chinese people have made brilliant achievements in a short period of time, which is unprecedented in human history. Now the Chinese people have achieved this and should be proud of it. (You) should feel proud," said Yuji Miyamoto, President of Japan-China Friendship Center.

"After 75 years of development, New China has truly made amazing achievements. I sincerely congratulate you, congratulations!" said Onishi Hiroshi, Professor of Economics at Keio University.

The Chinese Embassy in Australia and the Consulate-General of China in Sydney also hosted receptions ahead of the National Day to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Guests from Australia and China mingled and enjoyed traditional Chinese culture performances in Canberra.

"China's development over the last 75 years has been amazing. People's prosperity has improved, and the development in the cities is astonishing, very impressive,” said Carol Keil, president of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) branch of the Australia-China Friendship Society.

Over 350 guests were present at the reception held by the Consulate-General of China in Sydney, including members of the federal and New South Wales (NSW) parliaments, former political leaders, local lord mayors, and others

"I went to Shanghai and many other Chinese cities in June this year, and I found that China's intelligent manufacturing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are all very developed. So I believe that China's future is going to be really not bad. I hope that our Australia-China relationship will get better and better,” said Patrick Mayoh, CEO of the Australia-China Business Council NSW branch.

At a reception in Wellington, capital city of New Zealand, guests enjoyed an exhibition of ancient painted sculptures and murals from the Dunhuang Maogao Cave, as Chinese traditional craftsmen showcased Chaozhou Kung Fu Tea Art, Guqin Art, Canton Porcelain Firing Techinique and Guanxiang Craftsmanship.

Touched by the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the reception, the guests praised the Chinese traditional culture and extended best wishes for the bright future of China-New Zealand relationship.

"It's tremendous of course what has been achieved and I was particularly pleased to hear in the Ambassador's speech the commitment to continuing reform and continued opening up, delivering a different message, one that’s about embracing world connections,” said Chris Lipscombe, National President of NZ China Friendship Society.

"It's great to be here tonight celebrating 75 year of the People's Republic of China. And as we think about those 75 years, we think about the tremendous development that has happened in China. And it truly is one of the most remarkable things that I think has happened in recent human history," said Brett O'Riley, member of APEC Business Advisory Council.

The Consulate General of China in Auckland also held a grand reception at the Auckland Museum to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Local artistic groups delivered a series of captivating performances at the joyous occasion, delighting the guests.

Guests attending National Day receptions congratulate People's Republic of China on 75th founding anniversary

The Japanese government's move to lift the ban on lethal weapon exports has sparked strong opposition among citizens, who denounce it as a shameful attempt to make money at the cost of harming innocent people abroad.

On April 21, the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi officially revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines, scrapping restrictions that had limited Japan's defense equipment exports to five noncombat categories. The revision allows, in principle, overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.

The change has drawn strong concern and protest in Japan.

A poll released by Kyodo News on Sunday showed that 57.2 percent of respondents rejected allowing exports of lethal weapons, while 37.1 percent were in favor.

Another poll conducted by public broadcaster NHK from May 8 to 10 found that 52 percent of respondents opposed the government's move to open the door to lethal arms exports, compared with 35 percent who expressed support.

Masayasu Kai, chair of the Citizens' Movement Committee at Japan's New Socialist Party, voiced his concern in an interview on Monday with CCTV.

"The Japanese government is trying to make money off weapons, and it's a truly disgraceful way to go about it. This so-called exporting of weapons and profiting from the arms industry clearly means that lives will inevitably be lost. This should never be tolerated," Kai said.

"Even if Japan is not directly involved in a war, these weapons could be sent overseas and used to harm people in other countries. Many people don't even fully realize what's happening. The current situation is far from normal," said one demonstrator.

The Takaichi administration has also been pushing for the first-ever change to the Constitution. The postwar supreme law, which took effect in 1947, is often referred to as the pacifist Constitution because its Article 9 renounces war as a sovereign right and prohibits Japan from possessing "war potential".

Japanese citizens have warned that altering the pacifist Constitution would lead the country down a dangerous path.

"Japan is clearly moving toward military expansion, and that in itself goes against the fundamental stance of the Constitution. Some people are even talking about 'revising the Constitution.' We are firmly against that. We demand that the Constitution be protected. It must not be broken for the sake of starting a war," said another resident in Tokyo.

Japanese residents voice opposition to lethal arms exports