ABE MULLS BEIJING VISIT TO REPAIR TIES
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering visiting China in early September in a bid to repair strained bilateral ties, a government source said yesterday.
The premier is exploring the possibility of travelling to the neighbouring country either before or after a ceremony in Beijing slated for Sept 3 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the source said.
China has extended an official invitation to Mr Abe to attend the event marking Beijing’s victory in what it calls the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, but it has yet to receive the Japanese leader’s response, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said on Friday.
Mr Abe is hoping to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his trip to improve bilateral relations impaired by a territorial row and differing perceptions of history. However, the two countries may face difficulties in arranging Mr Abe’s China trip because their relations could be swayed by what the premier would say in an expected statement on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and China’s activities to press sovereignty claims in the East and South China seas.
Beijing has been urging that Mr Abe’s statement include a full apology and note that Japan was engaged in a war of aggression. To lay the groundwork for Mr Abe’s visit, Shotaro Yachi, the head of Japan’s National Security Council, is planning to travel to China later this month to hold talks with Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat.