China and Japan are likely to hold a brief symbolic meeting during next month's APEC Summit in Beijing after Tokyo made a major concession this week over the disputed Senkaku Islands.

According to Japanese officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the carefully orchestrated display of good will between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has become possible after Japan agreed to officially recognize that the Senkaku Islands are in dispute.

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Japan has long feared that the slightest acknowledgement of dispute will strengthen China's claims over the islands. According to The New York Times, China has insisted that this is a precondition to thawing the strained relationship with its economic partner.

Although Japan has not received word of confirmation for a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and while it may be too short to allow the leaders to delve substantively on the matter, officials said the meeting would be fused with symbolism.

China-Japan relations have been in deep freeze following Tokyo's purchase of the islands in mid-2012. The intention was to prevent ultranationalists from taking over the territory.

This enraged China who also has claims over what it refers to as Diaoyu islands, plunging both countries in bitter severance of many political, economic and cultural ties since.

Until late last month, Prime Minister Abe declined to recognize that the islands are in dispute.

He told a news briefing at the United Nations General Assembly that while Japan has no intent to escalate tensions with Beijing, it was not open to negotiate Senkaku islands, which are historically and internationally recognized as under the country's valid control.

Both countries have been under pressure to resolve the dispute that has dealt significant blows to their economic relationships. In what appears to be a sign of improving diplomatic relations, Abe shook hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Asia-Europe Meeting in Milan on Friday.  

TagsAPEC 2014, Senkaku Island dispute