Environmental projects financed by the Japanese Grassroots Project have been successful in north China's Shanxi Province, said Masahiko Yamada, an official with the Japanese embassy in China.

Yamada spoke during a two-day tour of several Sino-Japanese cooperative projects in Datong of Shanxi.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Japanese treaty of peace and friendship, the Japanese embassy in Beijing invited reporters from major Chinese and Japanese media organizations to inspect the projects in Datong.

The Japanese government has so far spent over 17 million yuan (about US$2 million) to the projects in efforts to improve the environment and people's quality of life.

An official said local people welcomed the projects, which brought both ecological and economic benefits.

Yamada said the projects have proved to be a successful first step towards greater achievements.

"Japan and China are expected to enhance mutual trust and strengthen bilateral friendly relations in light of these cooperative projects," he said.

Japan offered some 6.65 billion yen to China between April last year to March this year, according to the Japanese embassy in China.

Initiated by the Japanese government in 1989, the Grassroots Project provides aid to developing countries in an effort to improve their medical and educational facilities.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2003)