Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have held talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Beijing. Topping the agenda were steps to improve ties and trade between the two sides. Our reporter Zou Yun has the story.  

A cold autumn day, yet with warming bilateral relations.

As Abe is the first Japanese leader to visit China in 7 years, both sides are seizing the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual concern.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said bilateral relations have returned to the right track, which the two sides should cherish. He also called for pragmatic cooperation at a higher level, saying China's door of opening up will open even wider, Belt and Road Initiative has offer a new platform for deepening cooperation. China welcomes Japan to participate in China's development in a more active way.

While meeting the press after their talks, Premier Li Keqiang said both sides agree a stable and healthy bilateral relationship is not only in line with mutual interests but also benefits the region and the world.

More than 500 deals have been sealed during Abe's visit. They include a massive currency swap agreement, the establishment of a maritime and air liaison mechanism, and enhancing people-to people exchanges.

Premier Li also called on both sides to work together to return bilateral ties to the normal track, and to continue pushing their relationship forward.

LI KEQIANG CHINESE PREMIER "We need to apply persistent efforts towards our goals. The same applies to developing China-Japan relations so as to avoid twist and turns. I'm being frank here with our Japanese friends and journalists here, because China is willing to move in the same direction with Japan to promote a stable, long-lasting and healthy relationship."

Prime Minister Abe echoed Li's remarks that China-Japan relations are making progress. Abe says he welcomes a number of Chinese pledges to improve ties and bilateral trade. One such plan is that China will consider lifting a ban on some Japanese food imports since Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011.

Abe says he looks forward to working with China to push bilateral relations to a new level.

SHINZO ABE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER "I'm willing to work with Premier Li Keqiang, to vigorously push forward bilateral relations. We've set up a new mechanism to promote cooperation between China and Japan in third-party markets. Over one thousand business representatives from the two nations have gathered here and signed many agreements. This is one good example of improving relations."

Also on Friday, the two sides entered a number of MoU's on issues that include setting up high-level official dialogues, improving senior healthcare and enhancing stock market cooperation.

ZOU YUN BEIJING "With new opportunities, both China and Japan are now willing to upgrade their mutually beneficial relationship, as well as make new progress and extend into new areas of cooperation. The countries are prepared to not only set sail again, but this time, to sail even further. ZY, CGTN, reporting from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing."