China hailed a visit by new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday as a 'turning point' in relations as they agreed to upgrade ties and denounced North Korea's plans for a nuclear test as unacceptable.
Beijing had refused summits with Mr Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi, who stepped down last month, because of his repeated pilgrimages to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine to war dead, seen by critics as glorifying Japan's past militarism.
But Chinese leaders struck a conciliatory tone and Mr Abe expressed 'deep remorse' for past Japanese actions as he broke with tradition in making his first trip abroad since taking office on 26 September to China, rather than the United States.
Chinese leaders agreed in principle to an invitation from Mr Abe to visit Japan, China's foreign ministry said.
State television also quoted Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao as saying China and Japan should keep up mutual visits by state leaders, suspended since 2001.
