On September 23, 2012 China postponed the ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with Japan. The ceremony was postponed due to the ongoing territorial dispute.
An official said that due to the current situation the Chinese side has decided that the reception commemorating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations will be postponed until an appropriate time. The official on the condition of anonymity from the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries was referring to the ongoing row which centres Tokyo controlled Senkaku islands in the East China Sea which are claimed by Beijing under the name Diaoyu.
