BEIJING – Chinese state media say President Xi Jinping spoke briefly with his Japanese counterpart at the Group of 20 summit in Russia, in the first contact between the two leaders amid tensions over disputed islands.
China had earlier ruled out the possibility of a meeting between the two on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg summit. China has put relations with Japan in the deep freeze since last September when Tokyo nationalized a group of islands claimed by China.
However, the official Xinhua News Agency says Xi met with Abe in a VIP room on Thursday for a 'brief talk.' It said Xi told the Japanese leader that ties between their nations were facing 'grave difficulties,' and that Japan should correctly deal with sensitive issues such as the islands dispute.
