Update | China, Japan agree to resume high-level talks in bid to ease maritime tensions
Consensus reached by officials paves way for easing of strained ties and raises hopes of dialogue between leaders on forum sidelines
China and Japan have announced a broad bilateral consensus, paving the way for a détente between the two neighbours. Although differences remain, both sides have agreed to disagree and resume dialogue.
In an apparent effort to finalise a possible face-to-face meeting between President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Beijing on the sidelines of the Apec leaders summit, which takes place on Monday and Tuesday, top officials from both sides laid out a four-point consensus after meeting in the capital yesterday.
Both sides now agree that "different views" exist on the territorial dispute over an island chain in the East China Sea, the two countries' foreign ministries said, hours after State Councillor Yang Jiechi met Japanese National Security Adviser Shotaro Yachi in Beijing.
They also agreed to gradually resume political, diplomatic and security dialogue and to prevent escalation of tensions by using consultations and a crisis-management mechanism. The two countries will also uphold the principles of the so-called four political documents - all signed before Sino-Japanese relations hit a nadir under the reign of Abe.
The two countries would "face history squarely, and look forward to the future" to overcome obstacles that had been straining ties, the two foreign ministries said in similarly worded statements.
Preparations were under way to arrange a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers - China's Wang Yi and Japan's Fumio Kishida - this weekend on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meetings in Beijing, Ken Okaniwa, a deputy press secretary with Japan's foreign ministry, said. The meeting between Xi and Abe was "not yet decided", but both sides were trying to arrange it, he added.