BEIJING -- People-to-people friendship has always been a cornerstone of the development of China-Japan relations, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

Wang made the remarks in a video speech at the opening ceremony of the 16th Beijing-Tokyo Forum.

Wang said the COVID-19 pandemic has made all countries in the world recognize that mankind is a community with a shared future, and has once again demonstrated the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Japanese people.

In the new era of information and intelligence, the public and social media play an important role in helping people of both countries understand and interact with each other, Wang said.

He called on the media of the two countries to pursue truth and show the reality when reporting about each other's countries, to adopt a more inclusive and friendly attitude to promote better understanding between the people, take a long-term view, look to the future, and focus on the positive energy in China-Japan cooperation.

The Beijing-Tokyo Forum is an annual event launched in 2005. The theme of this year's event is "the post-pandemic international order and the role of China and Japan." Held alternately in Beijing and Tokyo, the forum serves as a high-level and large platform between the two countries.