China and Japan make progress on cordiality track

FOUR months ago, the leaders of China and Japan met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka and agreed to normalise their relationship. President Xi Jinping accepted Premier Shinzo Abe's invitation to visit Japan "when cherry blossoms bloom".

Such a visit would complete an exchange of summit meetings, begun when Mr Abe visited Beijing last year. It has been a goal of Japan's China policy in recent years.

Stemming from the renewed amity, a strategic dialogue, suspended for seven years, was revived in August. In October, a Chinese guided missile destroyer arrived for China's first participation in Japan's fleet review. However, the review was cancelled because of typhoon Hagibis.