China advocates the settlement of marine border disputes in a just and reasonable manner through friendly consultations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Boundary disputes should be resolved according to generally accepted international laws, spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference.

China is keen to solve the marine border issue by putting aside disputes and joint exploration, and China will stick to the principle of friendly consultation in handling such disputes, Qin said.

When asked to comment on a Chinese fleet setting up marine base-point symbols on islands in the East China Sea, Qin said it was a matter of China's own sovereignty and had no connection with China's marine border issues with other neighboring countries.

Source: Xinhua