Major issues in China-Japan relations over the past 40 years

2010-now - Deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations

2010 World's second-largest economy

In 2010, China overtook Japan as the world's second-largest economy. China's economy surpassed Japan's at the end of 2010 because of the huge difference in each country's growth rates. China is growing at about 10 percent a year, while Japan's economy is forecast to grow between 2 to 3 percent this year.

2012 Purchase of Diaoyu Islands

April 16, 2012: Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara said that the metropolitan government plans to buy theDiaoyuIslandsin theEast China Sea.

April 17, 2012: Chinareiterated that theDiaoyuIslandsand other affiliated isles have been an inherent part of Chinese territory since ancient times, andChinaholds indisputable sovereignty over them.

April 27, 2012: Ishihara announced that the metropolitan government had set up an account for people to send money to help it purchase theDiaoyuIslandsin theEast China Sea, the Japan Times reported.

May 2, 2012: China's fishery administration authorities confirmed that two of its vessels have sailed into waters near theDiaoyuIslandsin theEast China Sea.

May 8, 2012: The Tokyo metropolitan government went further in its plan to purchase three of theDiaoyuIslands, announcing that total donations had reached over 200 million yen ($2.5 million) by May 7.

July 7, 2012: On the 75th anniversary of the July 7 Incident, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said his government was negotiating with a "private owner" to "nationalize" part of theDiaoyuIslands.

"China's holy territory is not 'up for sale' to anyone," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in response to remarks Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made on Saturday.

Aug 15, 2012: Seven activists from Hong Konglanded on theDiaoyuIslandsat around 5:30 pm local time on Wednesday, according to Japan Coast Guard (JCG).

Japan in total arrested 14 Chinese activistson Wednesday including seven who landed on the Diaoyu Islands at around 5:30 pm local time on suspicion of illegal entry, and would later detain the vessel, according to police from Japan's Okinawa.

Aug 16, 2012: China on Thursday once again urgedJapanto "immediately and unconditionally" release Chinese nationals illegally detained by the latter over theDiaoyuIslandsissue.

Aug 23, 2012: When the fishing boat Kai Fung No 2 drew alongside the public pier atHong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui on Wednesday, a crowd of supporters erupted in cheers. On board were seven activists from the group of 14 Chinese who sailed to theDiaoyuIslandsto assertChina's sovereignty.

Sept 9, 2012: Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and made clearChina's position on its relations withJapanand theDiaoyuIslandsissue.

Sept 10, 2012: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the Diaoyu Islands are an inalienable part of China's territory and China will "absolutely make no concession" on issues concerning its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Sept 10, 2012: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic ofChinaissued a statement, saying that Japanese government intention to "purchase"DiaoyuIslandsconstitutes a gross violation ofChina's sovereignty over its own territory and is highly offensive to the 1.3 billion Chinese people.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi urgently summoned Japanese Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa for a meeting to lodge solemn representations and strong protest against the Japanese government's illegal "buying" of theDiaoyuIslands.

Sept 11, 2012: Following the Japanese government's announcement on the so-called "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands,China's civil patrol ships Tuesday reached the waters around the islands to start patrolling and showing China's sovereignty over these islands.

Sept 11, 2012: The Japanese government has exchanged the official contract on the purchase ofDiaoyuIslandswith Kurihara family whom the Japanese side called "the private owner".

Japanese cabinet appointed Shinichi Nishimiya as the new ambassador toChina, replacing Uichiro Niwa.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda orderedJapan's Self Defense Forces (JSDF) to be fully prepared for any emergency under the complex peripheral security environment at the Ministry of Defense.

Sept 14, 2012: China sent its maritime surveilance ships to waters aroundDiaoyu Islands.

Sept 15, 2012: The State Oceanic Administration (SOA) on Saturday released a string of geographic coordinates of the Diaoyu Island and some of its affiliated islets, in a new move to affirmChina's sovereignty.

Sept 16, 2012: Beijing announced it will submit a partial submission concerning the outer limits of the continental shelf to the United Nations in its latest move to defend itsmaritimesovereignty.

Newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to China Shinichi Nishimiya died Sunday morning in a hospital in Tokyo.

2013 Japanese Defense White Paper

Japan highlighted China as a major "security threat" in its latest defense white paper released on July 9, 2013, using harsher language than in previous papers. The report says that when addressing disputes with other countries, China attempts to change the status quo by force based on its own assertions. Some of China's activities are dangerous and could cause a contingency, the report says, noting "China should accept and stick to international norms."