China cancels special events

China has cancelled events to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, further signalling its anger over a simmering territorial dispute.

Japanese foreign ministry official Hiroaki Sakamoto confirmed that China has cancelled the events, planned for Thursday.

China’s Xinhua news agency reported that the events would not take place as planned. It said they would be held “at a proper time”.

Relations have sunk to their worst level in years as the two sides spar over islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries and by Taiwan.