By Zhang Jin and Qin Jize (China Daily)
TOKYO - China and Japan on Monday agreed to start formal negotiations on joint development of disputed gas fields in the East China Sea.
Premier Wen Jiabao, who is on a three-day visit to Japan, and his Japanese counterpart Yukio Hatoyama also agreed to establish an emergency hotline between the prime ministers of the two nations to deal with any tensions.
The two countries struck a broad agreement in June 2008 to resolve disputes over the East China Sea by jointly exploring the fields. Informal talks have recently started, but progress has been slow.
In that landmark deal, the two sides reached a basic understanding on joint development and affirmed that Chinese enterprises welcome the participation of Japanese companies in the development of the existing oil and gas field in Chunxiao.
At Monday's summit, wartime historical disputes did not come up.
