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International relations

Xi Jinping's temple snub hints at Japan's drop on priority list

Beijing turns sights to Biden and Communist Party milestones

A statue of Ganjin on the path leading to Daming Temple. The monk embarked on the perilous crossing to Japan five times before finally succeeding in the eighth century. (Photo by Tetsushi Takahashi)

BEIJING -- When Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to the city of Yangzhou on the bank of the Yangtze River in November, he chose not to visit the Daming Temple, according to a local resident familiar with the trip.

The renowned temple was headed by the Tang dynasty-era monk Jianzhen, known as Ganjin in Japanese, and is seen as a symbol of historical ties between Japan and China.

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