Japan's PM seeks improved ties with China: government spokesman

[LIMA] Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday that he aims to improve ties with China by capitalising on key anniversaries for bilateral relations in the next few years, a Japanese government spokesman said.

The two leaders held impromptu talks while attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Lima.

Mr Abe told Mr Xi he would like to seek comprehensive improvement of ties with eyes on the 45th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations next year and 40th anniversary of the Japan-China peace and friendship treaty in 2018, the spokesman said.

Ties between China and Japan, the world's second- and third-largest economies, have been long strained by a territorial dispute.

REUTERS