China and Japan are coordinating the timing of the second China-Japan high-level economic dialogue, which it hopes will be as early as possible, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference on Thursday.

Qin's comments follow a report from Japan's Kyodo news service that the dialogue, originally to be held late this month in Tokyo, was likely to be delayed to next year.

The dialogue is expected to touch on many topics including macro-economic policies, energy efficiency and environmental protection, trade and investment, and regional and global economic issues, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

"The dialogue is an important platform for the two sides to strengthen communication on macro-economic policies and promote bilateral trade cooperation," Qin said.

He added China hoped the meeting would be held as early as possible when the two sides were prepared and would achieve results.

The economic dialogue mechanism was launched by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during Wen's trip to Japan in April last year. The first dialogue took place in Beijing last December.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2008)