The Tianwaitian gas and oil field is located in China's exclusive economic zone and has nothing to do with the principled consensus reached between China and Japan on the East China Sea issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Saturday.

Yang Jiechi made his remarks on the sidelines of China's annual session of the National People's Congress, or the top legislative body.

"The principled consensus reached between the two countries on the issue of East China Sea is a reflection of the improved China-Japan relations. We believe both sides should honor the spirits of the principled consensus and create necessary conditions for implementation," said Yang.

Under a China-Japan principled consensus on the East China Sea issue, reached in June, the two sides will, through joint exploration, select by mutual agreement areas for joint development in the block mentioned by the consensus under the principle of mutual benefit.

The two sides also agreed in the consensus to continue discussions for the early realization of joint development in other parts of the East China Sea.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)