Through serious consultation, China and Japan have agreed to conduct cooperation in the transitional period before the delimitation of the relevant waters, march the first step in joint development in the chosen area of the East China Sea, without prejudicing their respective legal positions.  

China and Japan have reached principled consensus on the East China Sea issue and common understanding  on the first-step of joint development. It is an important step to realize the common understanding of the leaders of the two countries on making the East China Sea a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship.

The consensus is also a mutually beneficial, win-win result that the two sides had achieved through consultation on an equal footing and in the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences.

The result is conducive to peace and stability in the East China Sea, to the enhancement of mutually beneficial cooperation on energy and other areas, to the healthy and stable development of Sino-Japanese relations, and to the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples.