China needs to ponder history, too, for better Japan ties

RELATIONS between China and Japan have taken a sudden turn for the better as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an unprecedented visit to the Chinese embassy to take part in China's national day celebrations and to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The prime minister said that he expected a dialogue between the two countries' leaders to promote the bilateral relationship, Kyodo News Agency reported. The Chinese ambassador, Cheng Yonghua, who hosted the Tokyo reception, was reported as having said that the relationship was on a stable path of improvement despite various complicating factors.

In Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met the Japanese ambassador to China, Yokoi Yutaka, and said that China expects more good news from Japan. While both countries want better relations, it is clear from Mr Wang's words that China expects Japan to make concessions in order to improve the relationship.