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China-Japan leaders begin summit China-Japan leaders hold summit
(about 2 hours later)
On the first full day of his state visit to Japan, the Chinese President Hu Jintao is holding talks with the Japanese PM, Yasuo Fukuda. On the first full day of his state visit to Japan, the Chinese President Hu Jintao has held talks with the Japanese PM, Yasuo Fukuda.
The two men are expected to sign an agreement setting out the principles for relations between their governments and another on tackling global warming. The two men agreed they would hold annual summits to strengthen ties between the two countries.
This is only the second state visit to Japan by a Chinese leader.This is only the second state visit to Japan by a Chinese leader.
Relations between China and Japan are said to be improving, after a difficult period over the past decade. Relations between them have been strained over the past decade because of wartime history, and a dispute over territorial waters.
Before Wednesday's summit, Mr Hu was greeted by Japan's Emperor Akihito in a state ceremony. "The two nations agreed that Japan and China both share larger responsibilities for the world's peace and development in the 21st century," a joint statement issued after the summit read.
Earlier Mr Hu said he hoped his visit would enhance friendship between the two nations. "Leaders of the two states will develop ways for regular exchanges, with one leader visiting the other in principle every year," it went on.
"We stand at a new starting point. We must develop our strategic partnership," he said. Positive view
Difficult issues After the meeting, Mr Fukuda said the two leaders had pledged to work to resolve a dispute over gas deposits in the East China Sea.
The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says China is expected to say it will consider measures to help meet Japan's proposal to halve the world's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
He says they will also touch on more difficult issues, such as a row over gas and oil exploration rights in the sea between their two countries, and a dispute over food poisoning cases caused by Chinese dumplings.
Tibet is another difficult issue for the two sides, but our correspondent says the Japanese are unlikely to make any public statement on Tibet that would embarrass their visitor.
To set a friendly note, Mr Hu and Mr Fukuda are also expected to play each other in a game of ping pong.
Mr Hu says China and Japan must develop their strategic partnershipMr Hu says China and Japan must develop their strategic partnership
"We agreed a solution is in sight for the long pending issue of developing resources in the East China Sea as Japan and China have held meaningful discussions and made significant progress," Mr Fukuda told a joint news conference.
Mr Fukuda also said he had called on Beijing to continue holding talks with Tibetan leaders to ease international concerns about the situation there.
China suspended high-level contact with Japan from 2001 to 2006 during the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, who made repeated visits to the Yasukuni war shrine, a place most Chinese believe glorifies militarism.China suspended high-level contact with Japan from 2001 to 2006 during the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, who made repeated visits to the Yasukuni war shrine, a place most Chinese believe glorifies militarism.
Mr Fukuda has tried to repair the damage by promising not to visit the shrine while he is in power and by calling for Japan to be humble about its past. Mr Fukuda has promised not to visit the shrine while he is in power and has called for Japan to be humble about its past.
For his part, Mr Hu is reported to have agreed to loan Japan a pair of pandas to help to find a replacement for Ling Ling, a 22-year-old panda who died last week of heart failure at a Tokyo zoo. The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo it is in the interest of each country to get along better with its near neighbour.
The BBC's Chris Hogg says it is in the interest of each country to get along better with its near neighbour.
China wants Japanese technology and investment to help develop its economy further, while Japan wants to sell more of its products to the Chinese, particularly as demand in other important markets like the United States slows, our correspondent says.China wants Japanese technology and investment to help develop its economy further, while Japan wants to sell more of its products to the Chinese, particularly as demand in other important markets like the United States slows, our correspondent says.
China has overtaken the US as Japan's top trading partner, with bilateral trade increasing 12% last year to $236.6bn.China has overtaken the US as Japan's top trading partner, with bilateral trade increasing 12% last year to $236.6bn.