Major western press such as Reuters and The New York Times all reported on the ” turning point” of Sino-Japan relations started with the visit of the new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China on Oct. 8th. This is the first time China accepted a Japanese Prime Minister’s visit since April 2002, when the former Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi repeatedly visited Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine.
There is a common interest between China and Japan in urging North Korea to stop their nuclear test. This Monday China denounced North Korea’s nuclear test as “brazen.” “No one is going to protect” North Korea if it goes ahead with “bad behavior,” said Wang Guangya, China’s UN ambassador. See more detailed reports below.
From Reuters:
China hailed a visit by new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday as a “turning point” in relations as they agreed to upgrade ties and denounced North Korea’s plans for a nuclear test as unacceptable.
……But Chinese leaders struck a conciliatory tone and Abe expressed “deep remorse” for past Japanese actions as he broke with tradition in making his first trip abroad since taking office on September 26 to China, rather than the United States. [Full Text]
(Photo of Wen Jiabao(left) and Abe(right))
– Read related article: “China and Japan Take Steps to Mend Fences” from The New York Times.
-“China denounces “brazen” North Korea nuclear test” from Reuters
-and “N. Korea-China Ties Strained by Test Vow” from AP
