The new thaw between China and Japan -- the world's No.2 and No.3 economies -- is a good development for Asean. The three-day official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China last week marked a new turning point in their roller-coaster of ties. The much-awaited improvement bodes well for ongoing Asean community-building efforts in all dimensions. The region's progress and stability depend very much on the level of these Asian economic giants' amity and cooperation.
Remarkably, both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Abe recognised that given the current international strategic environment, their two countries are increasingly dependent on one another and their common interests and concerns on many levels have also multiplied. As such, these challenges provide new opportunities for them to cooperate more. Whether the warming up will be sustainable and develop further into something more dynamic will hinge on the impact of the US's American First policy and denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.
Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.
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