China and Japan will hold talks next Monday in Beijing on the dispute over the East China Sea, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday.

Zhang revealed the news at a regular news briefing in Beijing, saying that Cui Tiankai, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department, will represent China, with Mitoji Yabunaka, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, representing Japan.

The two sides will exchange opinions on questions arising from the delimitation and exploration of natural resources in the East China Sea.

There are disputes over the demarcation of the East China Sea, however, China is willing to look for an appropriate settlement through peaceful dialogue, Zhang added.

In order to further safeguard and promote friendship with Japan, China proposed consultations be held to resolve these issues, Zhang said.

China's newly appointed ambassador to Japan, Wang Yi, said in his first press conference in Tokyo on Monday that China's oil and gas exploration in the East China Sea is being carried out in China's indisputable coastal waters and is a matter within the scope of China's sovereignty.

He said both China and Japan have a right to claim 200 sea miles of water according to international law. However, the width of the East China Sea is less than 400 sea miles and the claims of the two sides overlapped and raised disputes.

He said the two countries have to consider various factors and look for a mutually acceptable settlement.

Visit to the shrine

Zhang also urged Japanese leaders Tuesday to be considerate of Sino-Japan relations and refrain from sending any signals or partaking in any acts that will hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.

Zhang's remarks followed a visit by 79 lawmakers from Japan's ruling and opposition parties, including Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe, to the Yasukuni Shrine Tuesday.

The shrine honours war dead, including Class A war criminals of World War II.

"China hoped Japan's leaders could handle the matter in a more delicate way and refrain from any acts that will hurt the feelings of the Chinese people as this will affect the political foundations of the further development of our relations," she said.

Wang Yi said at his press conference that the Yasukuni Shrine question has gone beyond the realm of Japanese domestic affairs and is a serious diplomatic issue that touches on the demarcation of right and wrong and international justice.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has visited the shrine four times since becoming Japan's leader in April 2001 and said he would continue to do so.

His repeated visits have greatly soured Japan's relations with China and neighbouring countries.