The Chinese and Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should strengthen dialogue and cooperation so as to play a more positive role in the fields of economic development and social progress.

Huang Haoming, secretary-general of the Chinese Association of Non-governmental Organizations (CANGO), made these remarks at the opening of the Sino-Japanese Forum on NGO development in Beijing on Thursday.

Representatives from seven Japanese NGOs and 30 Chinese NGOs attended the meeting.

During the three-day meeting, they will discuss such issues as rural and community development, environmental protection and education, exchange views and experiences in NGO development and analyze its successful cases.

Huang said the NGOs in China have played a more and more positive role in various social sectors with the country's further opening-up. They have also contributed a lot to the social welfare and international affairs.

Japanese delegate Ito Michio, president of well-known Japanese NGO "Asian Community Center 21", said the Japanese NGOs have always supported China's reform and opening to the outside world and carried out fruitful cooperation with China in poverty relief, environmental protection and social development.

At present, there are 86,000 registered NGOs in Japan, among which more than 400 are involved in international service.

Liao Hong, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said there exists a great potential for cooperation between Chinese and Japanese NGOs, as the two countries share similar culture and are economically complementary to each other.

He hoped that the forum could bring forth concrete programs to push forward friendly cooperation among grass-root NGOs.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2005)