Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a media conference in Beijing on March 9

The Japanese proposal "stems from Japan's unilateral position, and China cannot accept it," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

China submitted a "rational, reasonable and constructive plan" during bilateral talks March 6 and 7 in Beijing, he claimed. "We hope Japan can carefully study the plan proposed by China."

The comments came a day after Japan said it would not go along with the Chinese proposal, which government sources said involves joint exploration of natural resources in two areas in the East China Sea.

One of the areas encompasses the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands, claimed by China and Taiwan, and the other is farther north and just inside the Chinese side of the median line.

Qin restated China's position on the unsettled demarcation in the sea where the two countries' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones overlap -- the root of the dispute.

Japan has called on Beijing to agree to jointly develop gas fields that straddle the line, and for the suspension of operations at the Chunxiao gas field.

The Japan Times Weekly: March 18, 2006
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