Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening up, paid an eight-day official visit to Japan in October 1978. From Deng Xiaoping's several splendid speeches during his visit, we can see the personal charm and superhuman wisdom of the great man Deng Xiaoping.
As soon as he arrived in Japan, Deng Xiaoping told the Japanese side that one of the purposes of this visit to Japan was to find "elixirs of immortality." He cleverly used the allusion of "Xu Fudong crossed Penglai to seek immortal medicine" to express his desire to bring Japan's advanced experience in developing science and technology back to China as a gift, and a feeling of thinking about the past and seeking change was fully displayed, which caused warm applause and laughter at the venue.
At a press conference, a Japanese journalist raised the issue of ownership of the Senkaku Islands (known in China as the Diaoyu Islands), which China had agreed earlier, not to be addressed by either China or Japan. The atmosphere in the venue suddenly became tense, and everyone held their breath to see how Deng Xiaoping answered. Deng Xiaoping said lightly: "The Senkaku Islands," we call it Diaoyu Islands, we call it differently, and the two sides have different views. It doesn't matter if you put such a question aside, it doesn't matter if you wait 10 years. Our generation lacks wisdom and cannot agree on this issue, and the next generation is smarter than us and will surely find ways that are acceptable to each other. Deng Xiaoping's statement of such an important issue of territorial ownership was so easy and reasonable that it suddenly impressed all the reporters in the audience.
After the ceremony of ratification of the exchange of treaties, Deng Xiaoping and his wife met with the Japanese emperor at the imperial palace. Prior to this, the Japanese side was very worried about this meeting, because this was the first time that a new Chinese leader had met with the Japanese emperor, and the Japanese side was worried that Deng Xiaoping would hold Emperor Hirohito responsible for the war of aggression against China on behalf of the Chinese during the meeting.
When talking about the treaty of friendship concluded between the two countries, he said: "This treaty may have a meaning beyond our expectations, and the past will let it pass, and we will actively look forward to it in the future." When Emperor Hirohito heard this, he excitedly said to Deng Xiaoping: "Although unfortunate things have happened between our two countries, as you said, it is really a good thing to conclude a friendship treaty between the two countries." In the future, our two countries will always be peaceful and friendly. The atmosphere of the talks suddenly relaxed.
A reporter from the Japanese media NHK once said: Mr. Deng Xiaoping is very much in line with the Japanese people's imagination of the ideal leader, he is a national leader who can convince the world.