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EPA
A rare Japanese flag in Beijing
The growing alienation with Washington has resulted in Japan and China in an unlikely friendship.
Tokyo and Beijing have long disagreed with past military clashes and current territorial conflicts.
Yet, during a crucial visit to Beijing, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe praised a historic turning point.
Both sides seek to strengthen economic ties and regional stability, including North Korea.
On Friday, Abe met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang. He should meet with President Xi Jinping later.
How do China and Japan stand out?
Usually not so great. Countries trade with each other but politically things have sometimes been quite fragile.
The occupation of parts of China by Japan during the Second World War remains a very emotional issue and Tokyo and Beijing have yet to agree on several disputed islands.
Mr. Abe's current trip to China is the first visit of a Japanese head of government in seven years.
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Reuters
Mr. Abe was greeted by a Chinese guard of honor
"From competition to coexistence, bilateral relations between Japan and China have entered a new phase," the Japanese Prime Minister told reporters in Beijing.
His Chinese counterpart echoed this feeling, saying that they should "return to a normal path" of "stable, sustained and healthy" relations.
Why are discussions important?
This comes at a time when trade tensions between the United States and the rest of the world are increasing.
This means that Washington is preventing other countries from exporting more to the US market.
The Trump administration has imposed huge tariffs on trade which it says constitute a retaliatory measure against unfair trade practices in other countries.
Although the trade war between Washington and China is the most important, it also targets many other countries, including Japan.
- The American-Chinese trade war in 300 words
- How China is fighting in the trade war
The biggest savings
Traveling with Mr Abe is a Japanese trade delegation that hopes to forge closer ties and boost trade.
"A vigorous trade will strengthen the ties between our peoples," Abe told reporters.
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Getty Images
The links between the two parties have been tense in the past
Japan and China are by far the largest economies in Asia and both sides have signed an agreement to maintain the annual dialogue and cooperate on innovation.
They also agreed to facilitate collaboration among their capital markets and committed to the principles of free trade.
A broader regional economic partnership and a special trading zone linking China, Japan and South Korea are also envisaged.
What about North Korea?
This is not all commerce though. Both sides also said they wanted to work for peace and stability in the region.
It is generally believed that the greatest threat to peace comes from North Korea and that Tokyo and Beijing have long disagreed over how to handle the situation.
- North Korea's missile and nuclear program
- The human rights crisis in North Korea
China is the last economic ally of Pyongyang, while Japan warned in the past against any attempt to appease Pyongyang.
North Korean missiles have Japan close at hand and a number of abducted Japanese citizens remain captive in the north.
At the Beijing summit, however, Abe said Tokyo was "determined" to normalize diplomatic relations with Pyongyang if progress was made on denuclearization and liberation of Japanese citizens.
