President Xi to meet Japanese premier in Bangkok: FM spokesperson

Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

"This will be the first official meeting between the two heads of state and will bear great significance," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. "The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-Japan relations and international and regional issues."

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan.

"The two sides should keep with the trend of the time, stay committed to peace and friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and work together to build a China-Japan relationship in line with the demands of the new era," Mao said.

(Produced by Xie Runjia)