Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan in April was delayed by Covid-19, according to the Japanese government.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan will be held at an appropriate time for both sides," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshi Suga told reporters in Tokyo today. . "The biggest challenge for both countries now is to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus. The first priority should be given to this issue."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited Xi to pay an official visit to last year's G20 summit in Osaka. If this goes on, it will be the first Chinese state visit to Japan by a Chinese leader since former President Hu Jintao's May 2008 visit. Earlier, many feared the visit could be canceled because both Beijing and Tokyo were focusing on the fight against Covid-19.

Covid-19 appeared in 84 countries and territories after the onset in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province in December. The outbreak has infected more than 95,000 people, more than 3,200 died and more than 53,000. to be cured, mainly in mainland China.

Japan currently records 331 cases, in addition to 706 cases on the quarantined Diamond Princess yacht in the port of Yokohama, of which 6 have died.

Observers say that Sino - Japanese relations are warming as the two countries fight "nCoV common enemies". In early February, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Sheng praised Japan for supporting the country in its fight against nCoV after the Japan Youth Development Association (JYDA) sent a shipment of face masks and heat. Then came China with the message: "Son of a cross-country, a natural moon" (The mountains and rivers return, but they are under the same sky).