A former Japanese prime minister has donated thousands of ancient Chinese books from his family's private collection to China. A special ceremony to mark the occasion, attended by dignitaries from both sides, was held at the National Library of China in Beijing today. CGTN's Ren Xueqian tells us more now about the significance of the donation.

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, a pact which essentially normalized relations between the two nations some three decades after the end of World War II.

Looking to celebrate the countries' enduring friendship, former Japanese prime minister and current chairman of Tokyo's Eisei-Bunko Museum, Morihiro Hosokawa, decided it was time to share a treasured family legacy with its western neighbor.

MORIHIRO HOSOKAWA CHAIRMAN OF EISEI-BUNKO MUSEUM "My grandfather and father were very interested in learning about China, and they studied many ancient Chinese writings and books. It's my honor to be able to make such a donation at this special time. This collection means a great deal to us, and I am certain that by donating it to China, it will help more people to learn about China's history."

According to the National Library, the endowment includes ancient literature, as well as political writings from the Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Some are so scarce, they can hardly be found in China this day. While the collection also includes duplicate versions, as many of the works were copied once their value was recognised in Japan. And such a benevolent deed hasn't gone unnoticed at the National Library of China.

ZHANG ZHIQING DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF CHINA "This is the biggest donation the library has received, such a donation sheds light on the amount of cultural exchanges China and Japan shared since ancient times, because the donated items are from Mr. Hosokawa's private collection, I think such a gesture opens a new chapter for China-Japan exchanges going forward."

The Hosokawa family has tens of thousands of historic artefacts on display at the Eisei Bunko Museum. Their donation at the National Library of China will be on display until mid-July. RXQ, CGTN, BJ.