Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to attend student exchange event with Japan in sign of warming relations
Rare appearance by Chinese premier at such an event, along with Japanese minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, could help clinch visit to Beijing by Shinzo Abe
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang plans to attend a student exchange event with Japan later this month, in a sign of improvement in relations between Tokyo and Beijing, sources close to diplomatic ties said on Monday.
From the Japanese side, Yoshimasa Hayashi, minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, is likely to take part in the August 29 event at Peking University in Beijing.
Tokyo hopes that the rare attendance by the Chinese premier at a student exchange event will help confirm Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to China for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially in October, the sources said.
Xi is also expected to participate in the Group of 20 major economies’ summit, to be held in Japan next June.
The relationship between the two Asian neighbours, which has often been strained by differences in views on history and territory, has recently been improving as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of a peace and friendship treaty, the sources said.
