BEIJING - China's Foreign Ministry said in a Thursday statement that China is "seriously concerned" about Japan's failure to destroy its abandoned chemical weapons in China on schedule.

Chinese and Japanese authorities have been negotiating over the destruction of the weapons since last September. The two sides recently reached consensus on the signing of a memorandum of understanding, establishing the details of the destruction plans and a timetable, the statement said.

Japan has committed to continuing the destruction of its abandoned chemical weapons in China after April 29, 2012, the deadline for completing the eradication specified in the Chemical Weapons Convention, the statement said.

China and Japan on Tuesday submitted a report on the destruction plans to the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at the 67th meeting of the council, the statement said.

The council passed a resolution regarding the delay. Japan has promised to continue to fulfill its obligations after April 29, 2012 in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and complete the destruction work as soon as possible under international supervision, the statement said.