Apec summit: China and Japan in ice
Leaders from China, Russia, Japan, the US and other Asia-Pacific states are in Beijing for a two-day summit.
Bilateral meetings between top leaders will take place on Monday, followed by a formal leaders' summit on Tuesday.
There is speculation Chinese leader Xi Jinping could meet his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, for the first time, after months of tension.
The meeting comes as China looks to underline its growing status as regional leader and economic giant.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit is the biggest event hosted so far by Mr Xi, who took over the Chinese presidency in March 2013.
Leaders from the 21 Apec member nations are attending the Beijing talks.
Both US President Barack Obama and Russia leader Vladimir Putin will deliver speeches later in the day.
But the two men are not expected to hold talks, amid frosty ties over Russia's support for separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Australian leader Tony Abbott, however, says he is seeking a 'robust conversation' with Mr Putin over MH17, the Malaysian Airlines plane brought down by a missile over Ukraine.
Talks would focus on 'our absolute expectation that Russia will be as good as its word, that it will fully co-operate with the investigations that are underway and that it will do what it can to ensure that justice is done', Mr Abbott said.
The plane is believed to have been hit by a surface-to-air missile fired from an area controlled by pro-Russian rebels. Russian officials have denied the allegations.
Territorial dispute
Potentially on the agenda is a meeting between the Chinese and Japanese leaders, something that could signal easing tensions.
A territorial dispute in the East China Sea has left ties between the two Asian giants at their lowest ebb in years.
Late last week, however, Beijing said the two sides had agreed to set up a crisis management mechanism to prevent the situation from worsening.
Departing for the summit on Sunday, Mr Abe said final arrangements for the meeting with Mr Xi were still to be made, but said he was committed to improving Sino-Japan ties.
Ahead of the summit Russia and China signed a major gas deal, pledging greater 'mutually fruitful co-operation'. Beijing has also pledged $40bn (£25.2bn) to help Asian nations improve trade links.
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