China and Japan have reached a breakthrough agreement to ease tensions over territorial disputes and improve bilateral ties. The four-point plan was announced after a high-level meeting in Beijing between Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi and visiting Japanese National Security Advisor Shotaro Yachi. CCTV America’s Quintin Veen reported this story from Beijing.

On Friday, the two countries agreed to:

• Follow the spirit of political accords signed since 1972, the year diplomatic ties were re-established between the two countries.
• Recognize the historical context of the disputes and overcome political obstacles.
• Avoid future confrontations through the establishment of a new crisis management mechanism.
• Resume political, security, and diplomatic dialogue with multilateral and bilateral channels.

China and Japan also agreed to resume dialogue wand also acknowledged that they have different positions on the sovereignty of the Diaoyu islands and their surrounding waters in the East China Sea.

Tensions between China and Japan have escalated in recent years, following the purchase of the Diaoyu islands by the Japanese government in 2012. Efforts by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration to adjust Japan’s pacifist constitution and lift restrictions on the military have also angered Beijing.