Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also met with Taro Kono. It is Kono's first visit to China as foreign minister; and the first by any Japanese foreign minister since 2016. Taro said he comes with high hopes for better ties, with 2018 having special meaning for both countries. Sun Ye has the report.

At the start of the 40th anniversary for the Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, both sides hope 2018 will be the year the two live up to that goal for peace and friendship.

WANG YI CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER "Improving and developing Sino-Japanese relations is in the interest of both countries and it is the common aspiration of various social sectors in the two countries. Now Sino-Japanese relations are at a crucial stage. There is positive progress as well as interference and obstacles. Historically, Sino-Japanese relations have been like sailing against the current: you either forge ahead or drift downstream."

And forge ahead it is, as both sides already agreed on Sunday to make the East China Sea a Sea of friendship and cooperation and to have the Japan-China Maritime and Air Communication Mechanism in place as soon as possible. And Japan hopes to have reciprocal visits by top leaders this year to further cement ties.

TARO KONO JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER "It's 40 years since we made that treaty on peace and friendship, my mission is to shape the relations today in that image. We hope by having reciprocal visits by our heads of states, we will see better bilateral relations in all sectors."

Prime minister Shinzo Abe has made bettering ties with China one of his major missions for the new year, as he has promised to work with China on all fronts, especially on Asia's infrastructural needs. Japan has also expressed a positive attitude towards getting involved in the Belt and Road initiative.

And the Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that China welcomes the well-meaning gestures of late, and it also hopes that Japan will match its words to its deeds, and not backtrack from what both sides have now. Sun Ye, CGTN, BJ.