An online commentary on the Sino-Japan principled consensus on the East China Sea dispute at www.people.com.cn on Wednesday called for peace, cooperation and friendship on the sea.

The governments of the two countries announced on Wednesday that both sides had reached a principled consensus on the East China Sea dispute.

The consensus contained several key elements: the two sides will conduct cooperation in the transitional period prior to delimitation without prejudicing their legal positions; both sides jointly take the first step to conduct joint development on the northern part of the East China Sea.

The commentary said that the consensus, reached after more than three years of arduous consultations, manifested the calm, pragmatic and wise manner of both sides and their firm intention to make the sea a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship.

China and Japan are separated by the East China Sea, which acts like a bridge for the two peoples to learn from each other and to conduct exchanges.

Under the current law of the sea, there emerged complicated disputes over maritime rights between the two countries, and the East China Sea dispute became an increasingly apparent sore on bilateral relations.

The development of long-term and stable friendship and cooperation of good neighbors is in the fundamental interests of both nations.

In order to properly settle the East China Sea issue, the two sides initiated consultations on the East China Sea issue in October 2004.

The stalemate in Sino-Japanese relations was broken in October 2006, and leaders of the two countries exchanged "ice-breaking", "ice-thawing", "spring-herald" and "warm spring" visits in succession.

Both sides agreed to establish and comprehensively promote a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship.

The improvement and development of bilateral relations injected vigor into speeding-up consultations on the East China Sea issue.