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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Japanese PM to boost China ties | Japanese PM to boost China ties |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has arrived in China, on a visit aimed at boosting ties with its neighbour. | |
| He will have separate meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Cabinet officials have held high-level economic talks. | |
| The trip comes amid signs of a diplomatic thaw, following decades of rivalry and historical tensions. | The trip comes amid signs of a diplomatic thaw, following decades of rivalry and historical tensions. |
| In recent months a Chinese warship dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay for the first time since World War II. | In recent months a Chinese warship dropped anchor in Tokyo Bay for the first time since World War II. |
| Hope for progress | Hope for progress |
| Mr Fukuda said he would use the trip to promote co-operation on a range of issues, including ways to combat global warming. | |
| He also hopes to make progress on a bitter dispute over rights to gas fields in the East China Sea. | He also hopes to make progress on a bitter dispute over rights to gas fields in the East China Sea. |
| China's military growth is another key issue, with Japanese officials having repeatedly expressed concerns about China's increased military spending in recent years. | China's military growth is another key issue, with Japanese officials having repeatedly expressed concerns about China's increased military spending in recent years. |
| Mr Fukuda's trip is the first by a Japanese prime minister since October last year, when his predecessor Shinzo Abe broke a freeze by travelling to Beijing within days of taking office. | Mr Fukuda's trip is the first by a Japanese prime minister since October last year, when his predecessor Shinzo Abe broke a freeze by travelling to Beijing within days of taking office. |
| China refused high-level contact with Japan during the 2001-2006 premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, after he started making annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine - a place the Chinese believe glorifies past militarism. | China refused high-level contact with Japan during the 2001-2006 premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, after he started making annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine - a place the Chinese believe glorifies past militarism. |
| Relations between the two countries began to improve after Mr Koizumi stepped down. | Relations between the two countries began to improve after Mr Koizumi stepped down. |
| Mr Fukuda has said he will not visit the controversial shrine while he is prime minister and has called for Japan to be humble about its past. | Mr Fukuda has said he will not visit the controversial shrine while he is prime minister and has called for Japan to be humble about its past. |
| The BBC's Quentin Somerville in Shanghai says the Chinese government has in the past stoked widespread anti-Japanese feeling. | The BBC's Quentin Somerville in Shanghai says the Chinese government has in the past stoked widespread anti-Japanese feeling. |
| However, no senior figures from Beijing attended the recent commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nanjing massacre, a sign he says that perhaps the two countries might be ready to move on. | However, no senior figures from Beijing attended the recent commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Nanjing massacre, a sign he says that perhaps the two countries might be ready to move on. |