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Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday at the Asean summit in Bangkok, where they discussed plans for a state visit by President Xi Jinping to Japan next year.
Meeting on the sideline of a series of multinational gatherings under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations banner in the Thai capital, Abe and Li were expected to exchange views on regional affairs, including North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
Japan-China relations have been strained over wartime history and territory, but the neighbours now describe their ties as having “returned to a normal track”.
In a sign of a thaw in ties, the neighbours have promoted reciprocal visits by their leaders. Abe travelled to Beijing in October last year, while Xi visited Osaka in June to attend the Group of 20 summit and held one-on-one talks with Abe.




Tokyo and Beijing have agreed on a visit by Xi next spring, with Abe inviting the Chinese head of state to come “when the cherry blossoms bloom”.
The Japanese leader was expected to visit China in December for a trilateral summit that will involve South Korea, although relations between Tokyo and Seoul have deteriorated with arguments over wartime labour compensation and trade.
North Korea recently resumed missile launches amid stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States. Beijing is Pyongyang’s closest and most influential ally, but Tokyo has no diplomatic relations with the country.
Japan’s warships in the Middle East cast spotlight on Abe’s military ambitions
Abe has expressed his readiness to meet leader Kim Jong-un “without conditions” in an attempt to make a breakthrough over the issue of Pyongyang’s abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s.


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China-Japan relations

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discuss Xi Jinping’s state visit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (right) and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe join hands at the Asean Plus Three Summit in Thailand. Photo: EPA-EFE

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calls for peaceful resolution to Hong Kong crisis in meeting with Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe greets Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan at the Akasaka State Guesthouse in Tokyo. Photo: Jiji Press/ AFP

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Japanese PM Shinzo Abe with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Photo: AFP

News

China

Diplomacy


Xi invited to Japan ‘when cherry blossoms bloom’ next year
Japanese leader expected to visit China in December for summit that will involve South Korea



Xi Jinping invited to Japan ‘when cherry blossoms bloom’ next year; Japanese leader expected to visit China in December for summit that will involve South Korea.


Shinzo Abe

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discuss Xi Jinping’s state visit

Xi invited to Japan ‘when cherry blossoms bloom’ next year Japanese leader expected to visit China in December for summit that will involve South Korea

Xi invited to Japan ‘when cherry blossoms bloom’ next year

Japanese leader expected to visit China in December for summit that will involve South Korea