China and Japan started their 10th security talks Friday afternoon at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, expecting to improve bilateral relations via the talks.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Japan's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Nishida Tsuneo attended the talks as chief negotiators. Chinese and Japanese diplomats and military officers were involved in the close-door talks in the Chinese capital.

"We hope to enhance mutual-understanding, consolidate and develop the friendly cooperation between China and Japan via the talks," Wu said in his opening remarks, noting such talks will help each or both of the two countries make contributions to the world peace and development.

Expressing his hope for "positive achievement" in the talks, Wu said that China pays high attention to the talks and hopes to exchange views with the Japanese side on regional, international and bilateral issues of common concern.

Wu said the security talks are an important channel for the two countries' ministries of foreign affairs and defense to exchange views and coordinate stances.

"We hope both sides would frankly exchange views with each other during the talks," Nishida said, noting that the talks indicated both sides' willingness to improve relations.

According to Nishida, this round of talks was held in accordance with the consensus reached by Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers during their meeting in May this year on the sidelines of the fifth ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in the Qatari capital of Doha.

The foreign ministers' meeting was held in a candid atmosphere, Nishida said, noting that Japan spoke highly of the meeting.

The previous round of China-Japan security talks was held in Japan in 2004.

Source: Xinhua