Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said Tuesday that China would like to carry out consultation with Japan on East China Sea development, seeking methods acceptable to both sides.

China would also like to see Japan play a more important role in regional and international affairs, said Li at a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

As for the UN Security Council reform, it is a multilateral issue, and China would like to discuss it with all sides including Japan, Li said when answering a question from a Japanese reporter.

Last October, China and Japan overcame political obstacles and reached agreements on facilitating healthier development of bilateral relations, which brought the Sino-Japanese ties back on track to improvement, he noted.

"The result came from concerted efforts of both countries, efforts of both governments and peoples. It didn't come by easily and is worth being cherished," he said.

Li said that China would like to advance good-neighborly and friendly cooperation with Japan in all areas, including economy, trade, science, technology, environmental protection and international affairs," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2007)