China, Japan agree to launch maritime, aerial crisis management mechanism

Chinese Defense Ministry said on Thursday that China and Japan have agreed to launch a maritime and aerial crisis management mechanism at an early date.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun told a monthly press briefing that a consensus had been reached on various aspects in talks in Tokyo this month, including reaffirming previous agreements on the goal, constitution, operation and technical issues of the mechanism; agreeing to change the name of maritime crisis management mechanism to maritime and aerial crisis management mechanism so as to better conduct consultations on maritime and aerial issues.

"The two sides also agreed that conditions for launching the mechanism are met and agreed to launch it as soon as possible," said Yang.

Besides, both sides have reached consensus on telecommunications norms, he said.

The defense ministries of China and Japan held the fourth round of talks in Tokyo on maritime crisis management mechanism on Jan. 12.

The mechanism of high-level consultations on maritime affairs between the two countries was launched in 2012. After three rounds of successful talks, the talks were suspended after the Japanese government's so-called "nationalization" of China's Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea in September 2012.

"Defense relations are an important and sensitive part of bilateral relations," said Yang, calling on Japan to abide by its commitment made previously including a four-point agreement reached in November and take substantial measures to improve bilateral relations.

China and Japan signed a four-point principled agreement to improve bilateral ties in November in Beijing, in which they agreed to resume political, diplomatic and security dialogues while acknowledging different positions on the Diaoyu Islands.