THERE is a discernible note of cautious optimism in China over the impact of the first formal meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe on improving the dismal state of bilateral ties, with observers noting several more important factors are at play.

State media and analysts stress that Japan’s actions in fulfilling its promises in a four-point consensus both sides reached last Friday would be key, even as many focused on the ice-cold body language of both leaders when they met on Monday morning.

The headlines of state media editorials yesterday were telling. For instance, China Daily’s piece entitled Japan Still Has Work To Do warns against “overinterpreting their meeting”, saying it would lead to disappointment. Calling the meeting more ceremonial than substantive, it said: “Considering the Abe administration’s less- than-glorious track record, their commitment should not be taken for granted and their words need to be matched with credible actions.”

…Singapore-based analyst Li Mingjiang said that while the consensus is clearly a mutual compromise, he said Japan conceded more ground because “it looks like Japan making promises to satisfy the Chinese demands while China did not make any pledge to satisfy Japanese demands”.