The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (pla) naval missile destroyer Shenzhen docked in Tokyo Bay Wednesday. Far from being an act of aggression, this first visit to Japan by a Chinese warship since World War ii is a diplomatic move symbolizing the improving ties between China and Japan.

Chinese new agency Xinhua reports:

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (pla) naval missile destroyer Shenzhen arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday morning for a four-day visit, the first of its kind in the history of the naval force of the pla.Shenzhen, with 345 officials and soldiers on board, was headed by Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, vice chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet of the pla Navy. It entered into the Tokyo Bay earlier in the morning and was led by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (msdf)’s frigate Thunder to the Harumi wharf, which is close to central Tokyo.The Japanese side organized a warm welcoming ceremony on the bank shortly after Shenzhen called the port at 9:55 a.m.

The peaceful presence of a Chinese warship in Japan’s capital is a gesture of assurance that Japan need not fear China’s military. Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai said the gesture shows that “China is following the path of peace and partnership, and Japan is an important neighbor for China.”

The visit to Tokyo comes less than a week after China spurned Japan’s closest ally, the United States, by prohibiting the uss Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier group to dock in Hong Kong. The Kitty Hawk is based out of Japan.

The international significance of the Shenzhen’s Japanese greeting is well summarized by the Shanghai Daily:

The warship visit has opened “a new page” in the history of Japan-China defense exchanges and military communications, Eiji Yoshikawa, chief of staff of the msdf, said at the welcoming ceremony.The Chinese ambassador to Japan, Cui Tiankai, concurred, saying: “The visit is set to inject new vigor and impetus into the development of bilateral ties.”

This is just one more step toward further cooperation between the two Asian giants. Watch for Japan and China to continue developing closer ties. For more information on the trend of increasing cooperation among Asian nations, read Russia and China in Prophecy.