President Xi Jinping invited Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the military parade in Beijing. (Photo : Reuters)
President Xi Jinping invited Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the military parade in Beijing that will commemorate 70 years since the end of World War II, according to a report by Duowei News, a U.S.-based Chinese news outlet.
This development comes after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, ending speculations of a snub by China on its former enemy.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said on March 8 that the country would give invitations to leaders of relevant countries and international organizations as long as they would come in sincerity.
According to Japanese media in mid-March, Chinese Ambassador Cheng Yonghua already gave away a hint that the invite was to be expected.
The Duowei report further explains that prior to the formal invite from the Chinese government, Ambassador Cheng already disclosed that an invitation was made three weeks ago.
Furthermore, the invite coincides with the U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue in Washington, when Chinese representatives handed a personally penned invite crafted by President Xi to U.S. President Barack Obama, the report added.
It is suggested that an invite to Japan was only logical, following Prime Minister Abe's expression of repentance over Japanese atrocities during the war.
Claims are made that both Japan and China already have a plan on how to tackle the issue of attendance in the Chinese military parade.
Some have suggested that Abe could copy what Angela Merkel did, not attending the formal parade but showing up during other scheduled commemorative ceremonies.
A few analysts claim that the invitation sent to Abe was China's way to warn Tokyo not to challenge President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative.
