BEIJING. Nov 2 (Interfax) - China hopes Russia and Japan will settle their territorial disagreement through talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
"The Chinese side remains hopeful that Russia and Japan will settle disagreements over the northern islands in friendly consultations," Hong said when asked by Japanese reporters to comment on President Dmitry Medvedev's trip to the Kuril Islands.
Hong was recently appointed as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, replacing Qin Gang, who has been sent to Britain to work as the Chinese embassy's minister-counselor.