China, Japan pledge joint efforts to safeguard multilateralism, free trade

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed on Thursday that the two countries should work together to safeguard multilateralism and the free trade system, and build an open world economy.

Chinese and Japanese national flags flutter on the lamppost in front of the Tian'anmen Rostrum during the three-day official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China in Beijing, China, October 25, 2018. [File photo: IC]

Xi and Abe held a bilateral meeting ahead of a summit of the Group of 20 major economies slated for Friday and Saturday.