France has joined the United States in refusing to publicly take sides in the dispute between Japan and China over islands in waters between the two Asian powers.
"Concerning the East China Sea, France is following the evolution of the situation closely," the French foreign ministry's deputy spokesman, Vincent Floreani, said Wednesday.
"Japan and China are two important partners with which France has close and frank relations. France wants to see a peaceful resolution of this crisis in conformity with international law."
The spokesman added that this position had been reiterated by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in a meeting Tuesday with Koichiro Gemba, his Japanese counterpart.
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