In their first meeting in a year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to “a mutually beneficial relationship” between Japan and China, despite a spate of deep rifts on issues such as national security and the economy.
The talks signaled initial momentum toward a cautious detente between the two neighbors, but didn’t result in any concrete progress over any divisive political issues, with the two countries appearing to prioritize an improvement in economic ties.
In his opening remarks, Kishida voiced his desire to work together to build a brighter future in bilateral relations.