In the morning, I found that I was not able to use the university web-mail system of the university. I tried to make an international call to the internet administration in my university, but had a hard time making an international call from my room because the hotel staffs hardly understood English.
After an hour of struggling, I managed to call to the university office to ask about the internet connection. They told me our mailing site might be blocked, and gave me a different address.
It worked well. So, I was able to read mails from my colleagues. I stayed in my room, checking mails and working.
At 11:45 AM, six Japanese members got together at the lobby. The Chinese leader was there, whom I had been exchanging mails with but met for the first time.
We shook hands.
He spoke very good American English; he must have stayed in the states for a long time.
He took us to a hotel near ours, Shangri-La for a buffet lunch.
Most of the guests in the restaurant were Chinese. I realized the economical growth of the country.
After coming back to our hotel, a bus took us to SiChuan University.
SiChuan University was big and beautiful. It must have a long history.
A small classroom in a building on campus was prepared for the forum for seven Japanese and seven Chinese selected from each country.
The first day of this Japan-China forum started at 2:30 PM and ended at 5:40 PM with the presentations of seven speakers in all. I co-chaired a session with the Chinese leader.
All the participants moved by bus to our hotel to have dinner together. It was a fancy restaurant on the third floor. A round table was used as in Chinese restaurants in Japan.
Katya had told me to eat mapo doufu, which was actually very good.
When a grilled pork was served, they made smoke with a dried ice (only for showing up).
The party ended at 8 PM. I was tired and soon went to sleep.
