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Japan and China hold first joint maritime drills in eight years in sign of warming ties
- Relations between the nations have been frosty since a September 2010 dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands
- But it is in the interest of Beijing and Tokyo to move away from confrontation and foster better trade ties, an expert says
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Warships from Japan and China have carried out joint drills for the first time in eight years, the latest indication that long-chilly bilateral relations might once again be warming up.
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The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) destroyer Samidare carried out a series of radio communication and coordination exercises with the Chinese guided-missile destroyer Taiyuan in waters south of Japan on October 16, Japanese national broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday.
The Chinese warship had been scheduled to take part in an international fleet review on October 14, but the event was called off after Super Typhoon Hagibis caused widespread damage across eastern Japan.
The defence ministries of both countries nevertheless decided to go ahead with the radio exercises, with Taiyuan becoming the first Chinese navy warship to visit Japan since 2009.
In December 2011, the MSDF destroyer Kirisame put into the Chinese port of Qingdao and carried out a number of events with their local counterparts in the city as well as communications exercises at sea.
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