China and Japan should resort to dialogue to solve their problem on the disputed area of the East China Sea, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Thursday in Beijing.

The two countries are scheduled to hold a new round of talks on the disputed area in the near future, Kong said.

The talks have become the center of attention as the Sino-Japanese relations sour because of Japanese leader's remarks on the visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

Kong said at the ministry's regular news briefing that China does not want current differences to hamper the upcoming talks.

He also criticized Japan for giving oil and gas exploration rights in the disputed area to Japanese companies.

"We think Japan's practices constitute a provocation to China's rights and norms of international relations," Kong said. "We have lodged a protest to Japan and reserve the right of taking further action."

Source: China Daily