Okinawan Governor Denny Tamaki is scheduled to visit China as part of a delegation from the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade on Monday. During his visit, he will hold meetings with government officials and representatives from the business community in Beijing. After concluding his activities in Beijing, Tamaki will make a special visit to East China’s Fujian Province, which has a sister relationship with the Okinawa Prefecture, to engage in exchange activities. He is expected to return to Okinawa on July 7. Just before his visit to China, Tamaki granted an exclusive interview to the Global Times reporter Xing Xiaojing. Tamaki discussed the over 600-year history of friendly exchanges between Okinawa and China, emphasizing the importance of regional peace and stability. He expressed his anticipation for his visit to China after four years. He also openly expressed his concerns about the Japanese government’s efforts to strengthen its military defense capabilities.