Japan PM Abe meets China's Xi, says to work for better ties

TOKYO/JAKARTA | By Linda Sieg and Kanupriya Kapoor

(Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit in Indonesia on Wednesday, the latest sign of a thaw between the Asian rivals that came despite an awkward diplomatic backdrop.
Abe told reporters after the meeting that the two leaders agreed to work for better relations and contribute to regional stability by promoting "mutually beneficial strategic ties".
Noting that Sino-Japanese ties had begun to improve when he met Xi late last year, Abe said: "We want to make the improving trend in the bilateral relations solid."
The meeting took place despite a speech at the Asian-African summit by Abe in which he warned powerful nations against imposing on the weak, an implicit reference to China. He also made an allusion to Tokyo's remorse in the past over World War Two without
issuing a fresh apology.
Earlier on Wednesday, lawmakers from Abe's ruling party and the opposition visited a Japanese war shrine in Tokyo that is seen in China as a symbol of Tokyo's past militarism.
Nevertheless, the two leaders met for about half an hour, signaling the desire of both nations to mend frayed ties and promote a cautious rapprochement.
"The confrontation between China and Japan has eased and China and Japan have restored their diplomatic dialogue," said Shi Yinhong, a professor in international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
"No matter what, China and Japan don’t want to return to the previous state of fever-pitch confrontation," Shi said.