Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met Monday in Manila, saying they share a desire to further improve bilateral relations and which they noted are getting better.
Their meeting came on the heels of talks between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Vietnam on Saturday, in which they agreed to make a "new start" on bilateral ties that have often been strained by territorial and historical grievances.
"While of course we cannot deny the existence of some sensitive factors ... I think both sides must work hard together to make the momentum of improvement in China-Japan relations into something solid," Li told Abe at the outset of the meeting, which as open to the press.