Panelists voiced hope of an early ending to the "frigid winter" of China-Japan ties as the 10th Beijing-Tokyo forum concluded on Monday.

The annual event took place as the Sino-Japanese relationship has plummeted, though the governments have shown signs of increasing liaisons over the East China Sea and historical feuds.

At the closing ceremony of the forum, co-hosted by China Daily and Japanese non-profit think tank Genron NPO, veteran diplomat Wu Jianmin, former Chinese ambassador to France, suggested that "people should always keep hope in mind".