More than thirty Japanese merchants went to the cherry island in Dongduyuan scenic spot and planted 80 cherry trees. Shao Junmin, mayor of Zhangjiagang, addressed the activity.

"Zhangjiagang attaches great importance to the exchange and cooperation with Japanese enterprises and welcomes Japanese investments. Currently, we have over 90 Japanese companies here with a total investment of 1.37 billion USD."

"Cherry is the national flower of Japan. Those 500 cherry trees planted by Japanese merchants in 2007 have been a unique landscape in Dongduyuan in spring. Dongduyuan is where Master Jianzhen set out to Japan for the 6th time and has become a base for Sino-Japan cultural exchanges. Hosting the cherry planting activities here can deepen our friendship and promote our cooperation." Shao said. "We plant these cherry trees now in hope that our sons or even great sons can come here to see them in the future."

"1400 years ago, Master Jianzhen braved all the hardships to make his eastward voyages to Japan. Here is the starting point. He preached Buddhism and spread the Chinese civilization to Japan. We hope our work can contribute to the economic and social development of Zhang Jiagang."

Japanese merchants said so after planting the cherry trees.

Twelve foreign merchants from the US, Norway and Czech Republic went to Yonglian, a small village in Zhangjigang. They took part in the "I love Chinese cuisine" cooking competition and learnt how to cook.

"The most difficult part of cooking Chinese cuisine is the cutting technique. It's a great challenge to cut fish. However, I really enjoy the Chinese Cuisine." a French merchant said.

Two Japanese merchants were invited as the public judge to score each contestant.

Established in 2007, the foreign businessmen's salon has been exploring new ways of presentation. Apart from the traditional symposium, the cherry planting and cooking are some of the new activities.

"Foreign companies have made great contribution to Zhangjiagang. We hope foreign merchants can achieve a sense of belonging by leaving something (taking part in meaningful activities) and taking something (valuable experiences and memories). We will continue hosting these kinds of salon activities."Ma Xuefeng, vice director of commerce bureau, said.

Foreign businessmen's salon aims to serve as a platform for foreign enterprises to communicate with each other. They can also learn more of Zhangjiagang by taking part in the various activities. The salon can also help strengthening the bonds between foreign companies and local communities.