BEIJING, May 09 (INP): The "Belt and Road Initiative" is an open and inclusive initiative, upholding the principle of common development. Like-minded countries could participate in it, this was stated by the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Yan Shuang here Wednesday at a regular press conference. He was commenting on a media’s report that China and Japan plan to set up the “Belt and Road” official-civilian agreement to promote cooperation between the two countries. The spokesman said, China has always been open to the Japanese participation in the construction of the "One Belt and One Road." Last year, the Japanese side also sent a high-level delegation to the "Belt and Road" international cooperation summit forum. "We have noticed that the leaders of Japan have recently made active statements on the construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Many Japanese companies have also expressed their willingness to actively participate in the “One Belt and One Road” initiative. We believe that Japan’s participation in the “Belt and Road Initiative” in an appropriate manner will open up new space for China-Japan economic cooperation and create new growth points. Promoting cooperation between Chinese and Japanese companies in third-party markets is conducive to expanding bilateral economic and trade cooperation as well as to the development of third-party economies,” he added. Yan Shuang further said, the fourth high-level economic dialogue between China and Japan held recently, China and Japan reached consensus on the establishment of a platform for the simultaneous exchange of officials and citizens and the study of specific cooperation projects. During Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s visit to Japan, both parties will also sign the relevant memorandum. We are willing to work with Japan to carry out related cooperation in third-party markets to achieve complementary advantages and achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. To a question about China’s position over the Nansha Islands, the spokesperson said China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters. China’s peace building activities on the Nansha Islands, including the deployment of necessary national defense facilities, are the need to safeguard sovereignty and security. It is also a natural right enjoyed by sovereign states. The construction is not directed at any country, he added.