Cooperation will boost China-Japan relations

The year 2017 marked the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. But instead of celebrating the occasion, the two sides remained locked in an almost frozen political relationship thanks to a series of standoffs between Tokyo and Beijing, including the detainment of Chinese fishermen by Japanese officials on Sept 7, 2010, and the "nationalization" of Diaoyu Islands by the Japanese government on Sept 10, 2012.

While different views on historical issues have for long prevented the deepening of Beijing-Tokyo ties, both the Chinese and Japanese governments have been striving to improve bilateral relations. For instance, the two sides arranged several meetings between the leaders in 2017, including the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 8 and the 25th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov 11.

This is an encouraging sign, as exchanges at the highest level and the resultant consensuses reached are vital to the improvement of bilateral ties. With the relatively frequent engagement and exchanges between the top leaders of the two sides steering the way, China-Japan relations seem like changing for the better, which will not only serve the two sides' interests but also be beneficial for the stable development and security of the entire Asia-Pacific region.