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TOKYO : Japan and China were to resume talks Thursday on the development of disputed gas fields in the East China Sea, one of a series of issues that have put a strain on bilateral ties.
Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, and his Chinese counterpart Hu Zhengyue will lead the seventh round of talks on the issue, due to begin at 2:30pm (0530 GMT).
At the last round held in Beijing in July last year, the two sides agreed to form a panel of experts to break the deadlock in the drawn-out negotiations, which started in 2004.
Japan and China have long disputed their sea border and Beijing insists it has the right to explore for oil and gas along its continental shelf in the East China Sea.
But Japan says some of the gas fields lie too close to its exclusive economic zone - a delineation not recognised by China - and fears Beijing might siphon off resources from an area Japan claims as its own.
Tensions escalated between the two countries last year after Japan said it had spotted flames indicating China had started production close to the area where Japan claims development rights. China began test-drilling in 2003.
The talks come two days after the government in Tokyo announced that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao would visit Japan from April 11.
He will be the first Chinese leader to come to Tokyo since 2000. - AFP/ch
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