China and Japan started their 10th security talks Friday afternoon at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, agreeing on increased defense exchanges.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Japan's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Nishida Tsuneo attended the talks as chief negotiators.

Expressing his hope for "positive achievement" in the talks, Wu said that China pays high attention to the talks and hopes to exchange views with the Japanese side on regional, international and bilateral issues of common concern.

"We hope both sides would frankly exchange views with each other during the talks," Nishida said, noting that the talks indicated both sides' willingness to improve relations.

"While notifying each other of the defense policies of their countries, Wu and Nishida agreed to step up China-Japan defense exchanges," said a foreign ministry statement following the half-day close-door talks.

Chinese and Japanese diplomats and military officers were involved in the talks in the Chinese capital.

The statement said the two sides also exchanged views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

"They agreed that efforts should be made to promote the six-party talks and seek dialogue and consultation," the statement said.

They agreed that peaceful and diplomatic means should be employed to maintain the peace and stability of the Northeast Asia, it said.

According to Nishida, this round of talks was held in accordance with the consensus reached by Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers during their meeting in May this year on the sidelines of the fifth ministerial meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in the Qatari capital of Doha.

The foreign ministers' meeting was held in a candid atmosphere, Nishida said, noting that Japan spoke highly of the meeting.

The previous round of China-Japan security talks was held in Japan in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2006)