BEIJING -- China and Japan will start the seventh round of talks on the East China Sea issues in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang Tuesday told a regular press conference.

Director of Chinese Foreign Ministry Department of Asian Affairs Hu Zhengyue and head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Kenichiro Sasae will attend the talks as top negotiators, according to Qin.

China and Japan were divided by the issue of the demarcation of the continental shelf of the East China Sea. Qin said China insisted on shelving the disputes and engaging in joint development, and hoped that related issue would be properly solved through negotiation.

"We expect to make in-depth and full discussion with Japan during the upcoming seventh round of talks," the spokesman noted.