On January 22 local time, the plenary session and working group meetings of the third round of China-Japan high-level consultations on maritime affairs were held in Yokohama, Japan. China's chief delegate and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yi Xianliang and Japan's chief delegate and Deputy Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry Makita Shimokawa respectively led a delegation to attend the meetings.

Departments of China including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Office of the central government, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Land and Resources, the Ministry of Transport, the State Oceanic Administration, China Coast Guard and the General Staff Department and departments of Japan including the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Fisheries Agency, the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Coast Guard, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Defense respectively sent officials to attend.

The two sides held the plenary session of the consultation mechanism and meetings of four working groups under the mechanism on politics and law, maritime defense, maritime law enforcement and security, and marine economy, exchanging in-depth views on China-Japan relations, issues concerning the East China Sea as well as maritime cooperation, and reaching agreement in the following regards:

First, the two sides spoke positively of the progress made in the fourth round expert panel consultation of the maritime liaison mechanism between the defense ministries of China and Japan held on January 12, and agreed to strive for an early launch of the maritime and air liaison mechanism between the defense ministries and conducted consultations on this issue.

Second, the Border Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of China and the Coast Guard of Japan agreed to continue cooperation in cracking down on maritime crimes such as smuggling and human smuggling.

Third, China Coast Guard and the Coast Guard of Japan agreed to establish a channel of dialogues between the two headquarters and launch an early discussion on ways of further cooperation.

Fourth, both sides agreed to enhance dialogues on maritime policies and law under the framework of China-Japan high-level consultations on maritime affairs.

Fifth, both sides agreed to strengthen maritime cooperation in such fields as search and rescue, science and technology, and environment in accordance with relevant international laws. The two sides also exchanged views on the early establishment of China-Japan Maritime Search and Rescue Agreement.

Sixth, both sides agreed in principle to hold the fourth round of China-Japan high-level consultations on maritime affairs in China in the latter half of this year, with specific matters to be discussed and decided through diplomatic channels.