Many Chinese people, particularly netizens, have expressed their grief and offered encouragement to the Japanese people.

On the other hand, Japanese people rescued and helped some Chinese nationals in the quake-hit areas. For example, just after the quake, a 59-year-old Japanese man called Mitsuru Sato helped evacuate 20 Chinese trainees to a shrine on higher ground in Japan's Miyagi prefecture shortly before the tsunami struck the place where they were staying. Sato himself was swallowed by the tsunami when he later returned to a dormitory to alert other quake survivors.

Moreover, Japan's local governments and some Japanese people helped the Chinese embassy evacuate about 7,200 Chinese nationals from the quake zone to Tokyo and Niigata.

Memories of Japan's swift aid to China after the Wenchuan quake struck southwestern China in May 2008 are still fresh. During that disaster, the Japanese rescue team was the first international team to reach the quake zone.

Facts show that China and Japan, despite the ups and downs in their relations in recent years, have joined hands to support each other during the natural disasters, the common enemy of mankind.

The mutual understanding, support and cooperation demonstrated during the process have strengthened the ties between the two countries, brought the two peoples closer, and perhaps even helped heal some old wounds.

It is reasonable to believe that if China and Japan continue to interact in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, they can resolve their disputes in the future and steadily improve their ties.