Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday urged Japan to make joint efforts to bring bilateral ties back to the track of sound development.
Wang held talks with visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Beijing on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Describing Sino-Japanese relations as being at a crucial stage, Wang said China had noticed the recent positive comments of the Japanese side and hoped Japan would put its words into action.
Kono is on an official visit to China from January 27-28.