BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday that China would like to learn from Japan and work more closely with Japan in the energy sector.

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said this at a regular press conference, held a day after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed a joint press communique calling for stronger cooperation on energy and environmental protection.

    Noting China and Japan are both big energy consumers, Qin said Japan boasts advanced technology in the energy sector, particularly in clean energy and renewable energy.

    "China would like to get useful experience from Japan as the country pursues a path to sustainable development and strives to build a resource conserving and environment-friendly society," Qin said.

    Also on Thursday, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission Ma Kai co-chaired with his Japanese counterpart the first China-Japan energy policy dialogue in Tokyo.

    "The dialogue will help China and Japan understand each other and work more closely," the spokesman said. "Hopefully exchange of this kind will continue and produce new fruits."