Japanese PM begins historic China visit

Japan's new Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has arrived in Beijing at the start of the first visit by a Japanese leader to China for five years.

He wants to discuss the declared intention of North Korea to test a nuclear weapon.

As he set off, Mr Abe said North Korea must not carry out a nuclear test.

"[The] bilateral summit meeting will be about the awareness of the current situation and sharing information is vital," he said.

"Together we would like to give out a message to North Korea to stop this outrage."

An aide to Mr Abe says the recent change of government in Japan provides an opportunity to build a new relationship with China and with South Korea, which Mr Abe is due to visit on Monday.

At the heart of the disagreement between China and Japan is a real struggle for regional dominance.

Despite being each other's largest trading partners, they disagree and compete on a range of issues.

These include United Nations reform and access to resources like oil and gas.

Japan is worried about China's military modernisation.

China is concerned by Japan's increasingly close military links with the United States.

- BBC