A group from the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China (Central Party School) visited Taro Kono to discuss exchange arrangements between the LDP and the Central Party School, China's leading educational institution for training party officials. The exchange initiatives were agreed between former foreign minister Yohei Kono and the Communist Party to exchange personnel of the Central Party School and Japanese from the public and private sectors in 2000. Eighteen groups of Chinese and Japanese have been exchanged so far.