Maintaining friendly consultations is the only correct solution to the East China Sea issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Saturday when holding talks with his Japanese counterpart Masahiko Komura.

Shelving disputes and seeking joint exploration is a realistic way to resolve the issue and making consistent efforts toward each other is key to progress in the consultations, Yang said.

To properly settle the East China Sea dispute serves the mutual interests of both countries and is conducive to pushing forward bilateral relations, Yang said, adding China always takes a positive attitude in solving the issue.

He said both sides should, on the basis of respecting the truth, seek common ground and narrow differences to jointly push for substantial progress in the East China Sea talks.

Komura, who is on the visit at the invitation of Yang, will lead a Japanese delegation to participate in the first China-Japan high-level economic dialogue.

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2007)