Chinese and Japanese diplomatic officials Wednesday held talks over the East China Sea issue in Tokyo, the 11th round of consultations over the matter.

The two delegations, led by Hu Zhengyue, director general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Asian Affairs, and Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau respectively, exchanged views in a frank and thorough-going way on joint development of the East China Sea, Chinese diplomatic sources said.

During the consultations, the Chinese side expressed the wish to solve differences through friendly consultations so as to realize joint development.

The Chinese side is willing to push forward consultations in accordance with the consensus reached between leaders of the two countries and the guidelines of relevant principles, and will contribute to the realization of joint development to maintain stability in the East China Sea, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2007)