Beijing gave the go-ahead Tuesday for Japan to salvage a suspected North Korean spy ship that sank in China's exclusive economic zone in December after a running gunbattle with Japan Coast Guard vessels.
The agreement was reached in negotiations in Beijing. Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and her Chinese counterpart, Tang Jiaxuan, were to confirm the accord Wednesday in Thailand amid the inaugural meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, a local ministerial forum.
Kawaguchi left for Thailand on Tuesday.