China hopes Japan takes seriously the consensus reached between the two countries a day earlier to create a favorable atmosphere for the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

"China attaches importance to Japan's repeated requests and its position on bilateral relations has always been clear and consistent", Wang said during the APEC Economic Leaders' Week.

The countries reached consensus on handling historical and territorial issues, agreed to gradually resume political, diplomatic and security dialogues through various channels and set up a crisis-management mechanism for the East China Sea after the foreign minister held talks with Shotaro Yachi, Japan's national security adviser.

"We hope that Japan can take the consensus seriously and follow the principles and implement it, to create a favorable atmosphere for the meeting between the leaders of the two countries", Wang said.

The Principled Agreement on Handling and Improving Bilateral Relations was released after the talks and a Foreign Ministry statement said the countries "have acknowledged that different positions exist between them" with regard to the Diaoyu Islands and the East China Sea.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday that he welcomes the reduction in tensions between China and Japan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi gestures during a news conference on Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) related meetings at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, November 8, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]