Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed their desire to build stable and constructive ties between their countries during their first meeting, Reuters reported, BTA reports.
“Japan and China share a common responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region“, Takaichi said at the start of the conversation, which took place on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.
“Despite the existence of differences and unresolved issues between our countries, I hope we will be able to reduce them by strengthening dialogue and cooperation“, she added.
For his part, Xi Jinping said he was ready to maintain constant contact with Takaichi to work together to develop bilateral relations in the right direction, Chinese state media reported.
Sanae Takaichi, who last week became Japan's first female prime minister, is known for her conservative views - something that has raised concerns that relations between Tokyo and Beijing could become strained, Reuters notes.
The new prime minister has accelerated the largest-scale strengthening of Japan's defense since World War II, aimed at deterring possible Chinese actions in the region.
Before heading the government, Takaichi often visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which is linked to the country's military history and is seen by China as a symbol of Japanese militarism.
She has also said that Japan could create "a sort of security alliance" with Taiwan, an island that China considers part of its territory. She said any crisis there would constitute an emergency for Japan and the United States.
Beijing, which sees the alliance between Washington and Tokyo as a threat to its own interests, has urged Takaichi to work towards improving relations between the two countries.