China media: Japan ties

China's deputy foreign minister Liu Jianchao (R) met his Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama

Papers are cautiously optimistic about China-Japan ties after the two nations held their first high-level security talks in four years.

The meeting in Tokyo comes after recent tensions over territorial and historical issues, and ahead of trilateral talks with South Korea on Saturday.

The last round of Beijing-Tokyo talks was in 2011, before ties worsened over a row over islands in the East China Sea.

Several media outlets have described Thursday's meeting as "amicable". Experts interviewed by the newspapers say that the talks show both countries' "willingness" to improve ties.

Yang Bojiang, the deputy director of Japanese studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, tells the Global Times that a "mechanism [for regular talks] was unlikely to be established immediately".

"But the success of such a mechanism will depends on Japan's stance on wartime history," says the pundit, explaining that China will wait for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two.

Echoing that sentiment, Zhang Tuosheng, the director of research at the China Foundation for International Strategic Studies, tells the China Daily that the dialogue shows that both are "pressing ahead with capacity building for crisis management in real and concrete terms".

The daily, however, notes that Chinese officials and experts are worried over Tokyo's plan to change legislative limits on Japan's Self-Defence Forces and Japan's arms exports.

Meanwhile, a commentary in the Beijing News hopes that the upcoming talks between foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea will pave the way for a top leaders' meeting in the future.

"The foreign ministers meeting is a breakthrough and an attempt to push ahead for regional integration. The talks will provide the opportunity to smooth things out, which will influence trilateral relations and the construction of a better regional order," it says.

An article in the overseas edition of the People's Daily, which has been carried by various media outlets, observes that the three countries have adopted a "softer approach" to benefit economic co-operation in the region.

"There is no need to be pessimistic about the ties, as it is essential for the three nations to further collaborate… the leaders understand well that it is mutually beneficial to resolve political issues with patience and peaceful ways," says the article.

Global financial order

Elsewhere, papers continue to discuss China's role in global finance as more countries express interest in joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The China-led AIIB, which was created in October by 21 countries, will fund Asian energy, transport and infrastructure projects.

Several countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have agreed to join the UK in becoming members of the bank, which has been seen as Beijing's initiative to counter Washington's influence.

An article on Xinhua's Economic Information points out that the attempt is a test of "China's wisdom" as it tries to improve the world financial order.

"China and these countries are embarking on a new attempt. However, ensuring effective communication will be a real test of Beijing's diplomacy as well as its wisdom on international finance," says the commentary.

Noting that Luxembourg has become the latest member, the Global Times say the bank will benefit the international community and its operation will "inevitably make China become more open to the world".

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