Indonesia urged to discipline its navy
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-23 05:56

"China's exploration for oil and gas is in the country's indisputable coastal waters in the East China Sea," Qin said responding to Tokyo's protest against China's drilling for gas in the region.

Earlier this week, Tokyo urged Beijing to reverse its decision to start extracting natural gas from the Tianwaitian oilfield in the East China Sea.

Qin said China's position has not changed and the country is ready to continue consultations with Japan for a proper solution. He said he didn't want Japan to further complicate the issue by taking unilateral action.

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry website, China and Japan have agreed in principle to hold talks concerning the East China Sea and other matters in Tokyo at the end of this month probably next week.

The Japanese delegation will be headed by Director-General of the Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau Kenichiro Sasae of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and comprise Director-General Nobuyori Kodaira of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, and officials from relevant ministries and agencies, the statement said.

However, Qin said more discussions are needed between the two sides to fix the time and place of the consultations.