Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Saturday that a face-to-face meeting he had sought with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump would not go ahead.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to strengthen communication at all levels during their first meeting since the Japanese leader took office in October.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba that China hoped Japan would "properly handle" major issues of principle such as history and Taiwan, according to Chinese state media on Saturday.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met for the first time with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru.

Chinese president Xi Jinping told Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba that he hoped Japan would "properly" handle issues such as history and Taiwan after Tokyo expressed concerns about Beijing's “increasingly aggressive military manoeuvres".

It is hoped Japan will ‘properly handle’ major issues including Taiwan, Xi Jinping tells Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Apec margins.