China on July 14 voiced its "serious concerns" about the Japanese government's plan to grant private oil companies test-drilling rights in a gas field in the East China Sea.

"It is an objective reality that China and Japan have disputes over the demarcation of East China Sea, but this issue should be solved properly by negotiation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news conference.

According to reports, Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry planned to grant admission to conduct experimental drilling in the East China Sea on Thursday afternoon.

Liu strongly urged Japan not to take any action that will impair the stability in the East China Sea and Sino-Japanese relations.

"If Japan is bent on doing such things, it will constitute a grave damage to China's rights of sovereignty and make the situation in the East China Sea more complicated," the spokesman said.

Source: Xinhua