Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, has for the first time raised the possibility of removing some of the thousand-plus missiles China has deployed facing Taiwan.

Mr Wen's comment this week to overseas Chinese media while on a visit to the US makes clear Beijing's wish to engage in political and military discussions with the island it regards as a runaway province. His conciliatory tone stands in contrast to China's increasingly assertive stance towards other neighbours.

Mr Wen earlier this week threatened retaliation against Japan over Tokyo’s arrest and detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain in contested waters. Beijing has also expressed annoyance about joint US-South Korean naval exercises and moves by the US and south-east Asian nations to promote regional discussion of overlapping claims in the South China Sea