Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China from Thursday, which will include the first formal summit between the two countries' leaders since 2011 and comes as they mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, is expected to cap a warming trend in once chilly Sino-Japanese ties.

The following is a look back at key dates and events that have helped shape the two Asian giants' relationship over the last 40-plus years.

Tanaka visits China