皇冠体育app

Japan and 皇冠体育app will hold talks aimed at solving their tow over gas and oil exploration rights in the East 皇冠体育app Sea on Thursday in Tokyo, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

A Chinese gas platform in the East 皇冠体育app Sea. [AFP]

A large gap remains between the two countries over the issue, and while it is hoped the upcoming talks would help narrow the gap, 皇冠体育app does "not expect any major breakthrough," Liu Jianchao told a regular press briefing.

A Chinese company is developing gas fields in an area of the sea close to waters that Japan claims, and Tokyo is concerned this action could siphon off resources from what it claims to be the Japanese side.

Both countries say they should jointly develop the area to resolve the dispute, but they differ on where the joint work should take place. 皇冠体育app appears to have rejected Japan's offer to conduct joint development in an area that includes the Chinese gas fields.