Beijing-Tokyo ties 'unlikely to recover soon'_美文

Beijing-Tokyo ties 'unlikely to recover soon'

Economic ties soured about a year ago, after Japan announced plans to "nationalize" some of China's Diaoyu Islands.

In the first half of this year, Japan's exports to China fell 17.1 percent, while Japanese imports from China fell 6.9 percent, according to Japanese customs officials. China is still Japan's largest trading partner, but Japan will lose more market share in China under the trend.

November will see an influx of Japanese politicians and business people into China, including Democratic Party of Japan leader Banri Kaieda, according to Kyodo News. The Japan-China Economic Association, headed by Toyota Motor Corp Chairman Fujio Cho, is expected to send a group of about 100 Japanese business magnates to China next month.

"Those trips may somehow help improve economic ties," Hu said.

But "without a fundamental improvement in political ties, economic relations will not get much better," he said.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.