TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he was ready to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at an Asian-African summit in Jakarta this week if the chance arises, the latest sign of hope for a further thaw in Tokyo’s troubled ties with Beijing.

Abe is expected to make brief remarks on Wednesday at the summit, which will be closely watched for his stance on Japan’s wartime aggression amid concerns he wants to tone down past apologies. The tenor of his comments could determine whether he gets face time with the Chinese leader, some experts said. “Nothing has been decided, but I am ready to meet if such an occasion is set up in a natural way,” Abe said on a TV news show when asked about a possible meeting with Xi.

Sino-Japanese ties have chilled in recent years due to feuds over wartime history, bitter memories of which persist in China, as well as territorial feuds and mutual mistrust over Abe’s bolder security policies and China’s military assertiveness.

Relations thawed a little after Abe met Xi for a rare summit in Beijing late last year and Abe’s remarks on history could hold one key to whether the cautious rapprochement continues.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2015

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