Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to take more “practical actions” to improve bilateral ties and properly manage differences in a “constructive way”.

“To improve China-Japan ties, the key is mutual trust,” Xi told Abe on the sidelines of the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Saturday.

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He urged the Japanese side to take more practical actions and adopt more specific policies to reflect the strategic consensus reached by the two countries, which reaffirms that China and Japan are cooperation partners, not threat to each other.

As China and Japan are neighbours and major economies in Asia and the world, a stable development of China-Japan relationship conforms to the interests of both sides and also has an important influence on the region and the world at large, Xi said.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

He suggested the two countries promote regional economic integration, and push for cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative at an early date.

The two sides should continue to increase exchanges on culture, media and youths, and can also strengthen people-to-people bond through carrying out cooperation on Olympics as China will host the Winter Olympic Games in 2022 and Japan will host the Summer Olympics in 2020, Xi added.

Abe extended his congratulations on the success of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was held last month, and on Xi’s re-election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

He said the Japanese side was willing to work with China to push for the development of the strategic mutually-beneficial relationship between the two countries by marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship next year.

Japan hopes to increase high-level exchanges with China, carry out reciprocal economic and trade cooperation, and explore cooperation in connectivity and under the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

Abe also agreed to deepen exchanges on tourism, culture, youths and Olympics.