TOKYO: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes a rare travel to China this week hoping improved members of the family will lead to new economic partnerships, as the 2 international locations come underneath US drive on industry.
The consult with is the first by a Japanese premier since 2011 and is part of a years-long technique of repairing ties within the wake of a disastrous falling-out in 2012, when Tokyo "nationalised" disputed islands claimed by Beijing.
The incident brought on anti-Japanese riots in China, and kicked off a frosty spell that has only gradually and lately begun to thaw.
Since an ungainly 2014 stumble upon between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the sidelines of a summit, there have been ministerial visits by all sides and a softening of rhetoric.
But Abe's travel can be a take a look at of ways some distance the 2 international locations have come, and the desire for growth is the entire extra urgent as US President Donald Trump levies tariffs and rattles sabres on industry with each China and Japan.
"The trade war with the US seems like it's helping bring them together a bit," mentioned Kristin Vekasi, assistant professor of political science at the University of Maine, and an expert on Japan-China ties.
"In that sense, they're actually on the same side... and if Japan leans away from the US because of decreased economic opportunities, there's a potential for closer ties with China," she advised AFP.
The two leaders are most likely to concentrate on a range of doable deals, together with joint investments in infrastructure in regional international locations together with Indonesia and the Philippines.
Abe has signalled some hobby in China's huge "Belt and Road Initiative", which funds major infrastructure work, however experts mentioned a concrete deal on Japanese participation was unlikely for now.
Both facets are prepared to support economic cooperation, with Japanese industry longing for larger get right of entry to to China's huge marketplace, and Beijing involved in Japanese era and corporate knowhow.
"Japan and China have really nicely complementary economies, and they can benefit hugely from having closer trade and investment ties," mentioned Vekasi.
"They'll try and bring home some economic tangibles. That's generally where they've been able to successfully cooperate in the past."
The two leaders might in finding less commonplace flooring outside of the economic realm, with tensions lingering over territorial issues.
Just days before Abe's travel, Tokyo lodged an authentic grievance after Chinese ships cruised across the disputed islands that Tokyo calls the Senkaku and Beijing labels the Diaoyu islands.
And in September, Japan performed its first submarine drills within the disputed South China Sea.
Japan does no longer border the South China Sea however has expressed concern about Chinese army job there.
Abe and Xi are more likely to merely keep away from those thornier issues, mentioned Kazuyuki Suwa, a professor of political science at the University of Shizuoka.
"Neither side will make any compromises... They will say what they need to say, and won't likely agree to go beyond that," he advised AFP.
"The relationship is a mixture of cooperation and confrontation, and that will stay the same."
Much of the assembly can be about optics, with each males searching for the symbolic boost that the summit will supply.
Abe may also be hoping to extract a pledge that China will make just right on plans for Xi to pay a reciprocal consult with to Japan next yr.
If he succeeds, "that itself should be called one of the major achievements of this trip," Suwa mentioned.
And there is also other diplomatic equipment at the able as smartly.
When Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited Japan previous this yr, he announced a gift of a pair of uncommon wild crested ibises, which arrived this month.
Japanese media have reported Abe is hoping that his consult with will produce a larger bonanza within the shape of a few panda diplomacy, with zoos in Sendai and Kobe it seems that angling for new additions.
The consult with is the first by a Japanese premier since 2011 and is part of a years-long technique of repairing ties within the wake of a disastrous falling-out in 2012, when Tokyo "nationalised" disputed islands claimed by Beijing.
The incident brought on anti-Japanese riots in China, and kicked off a frosty spell that has only gradually and lately begun to thaw.
Since an ungainly 2014 stumble upon between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the sidelines of a summit, there have been ministerial visits by all sides and a softening of rhetoric.
But Abe's travel can be a take a look at of ways some distance the 2 international locations have come, and the desire for growth is the entire extra urgent as US President Donald Trump levies tariffs and rattles sabres on industry with each China and Japan.
"The trade war with the US seems like it's helping bring them together a bit," mentioned Kristin Vekasi, assistant professor of political science at the University of Maine, and an expert on Japan-China ties.
"In that sense, they're actually on the same side... and if Japan leans away from the US because of decreased economic opportunities, there's a potential for closer ties with China," she advised AFP.
The two leaders are most likely to concentrate on a range of doable deals, together with joint investments in infrastructure in regional international locations together with Indonesia and the Philippines.
Abe has signalled some hobby in China's huge "Belt and Road Initiative", which funds major infrastructure work, however experts mentioned a concrete deal on Japanese participation was unlikely for now.
Both facets are prepared to support economic cooperation, with Japanese industry longing for larger get right of entry to to China's huge marketplace, and Beijing involved in Japanese era and corporate knowhow.
"Japan and China have really nicely complementary economies, and they can benefit hugely from having closer trade and investment ties," mentioned Vekasi.
"They'll try and bring home some economic tangibles. That's generally where they've been able to successfully cooperate in the past."
The two leaders might in finding less commonplace flooring outside of the economic realm, with tensions lingering over territorial issues.
Just days before Abe's travel, Tokyo lodged an authentic grievance after Chinese ships cruised across the disputed islands that Tokyo calls the Senkaku and Beijing labels the Diaoyu islands.
And in September, Japan performed its first submarine drills within the disputed South China Sea.
Japan does no longer border the South China Sea however has expressed concern about Chinese army job there.
Abe and Xi are more likely to merely keep away from those thornier issues, mentioned Kazuyuki Suwa, a professor of political science at the University of Shizuoka.
"Neither side will make any compromises... They will say what they need to say, and won't likely agree to go beyond that," he advised AFP.
"The relationship is a mixture of cooperation and confrontation, and that will stay the same."
Much of the assembly can be about optics, with each males searching for the symbolic boost that the summit will supply.
Abe may also be hoping to extract a pledge that China will make just right on plans for Xi to pay a reciprocal consult with to Japan next yr.
If he succeeds, "that itself should be called one of the major achievements of this trip," Suwa mentioned.
And there is also other diplomatic equipment at the able as smartly.
When Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited Japan previous this yr, he announced a gift of a pair of uncommon wild crested ibises, which arrived this month.
Japanese media have reported Abe is hoping that his consult with will produce a larger bonanza within the shape of a few panda diplomacy, with zoos in Sendai and Kobe it seems that angling for new additions.
Japan PM heads to China looking for economic common ground
![Japan PM heads to China looking for economic common ground]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
October 23, 2018
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