Given that such a move would imply that China’s claim to the islands may have some legitimacy, Abe’s possible concession on this point is no trivial matter; it could even mean that he will agree with China to restore the status quo ante. In that case, one hopes that Xi will follow Deng Xiaoping’s counsel and allow the issue to be “shelved for some time” so that the “wiser” next generation can “find a solution acceptable to all.”