Hiroshi Moriyama, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, expressed optimism that the contest would further strengthen exchanges between the two nations.

"I sincerely hope that through various initiatives, Japan and China can deepen their friendship and continue to contribute to global economic development and peace," he said.

Reflecting on his contributions of establishing a sister city relationship between Kagoshima and Changsha, Hunan province, as well as his visits to China this year, Moriyama spoke about his experience witnessing remarkable development and innovations, such as Changsha's advanced unmanned farms.