BEIJING - A Chinese defense ministry spokesman on Thursday urged Japan to abide by a four-point principled agreement reached recently between the two countries.

"The four-point agreement is an important precondition for improving the China-Japan relations and it should be followed," Spokesman Geng Yansheng said at a monthly press briefing.

China and Japan reached the agreement earlier this month, agreeing to resume political, diplomatic and security dialogue while acknowledging different positions on the Diaoyu Islands.

"We demand the Japanese side honor its commitment, implement the China-Japan four-point principled agreement with actual moves, appropriately handle sensitive problems, and make efforts to improve and develop the bilateral relationship," Geng said.

As to a plan to build a maritime liaison mechanism between the defense departments of the two countries, Geng said the mechanism would help avoid misjudgment and enhance trust between the defense departments.

The Chinese and Japanese defense departments are now discussing the maritime liaison mechanism since the four-point principled agreement has been reached, Geng said at the briefing.