A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman here on Thursday said China will actively participate in the follow-up search operation, after the Malaysian side's latest statements on the missing MH370 flight.

The spokesman Qin Gang said China has noted that the Malaysian side had clearly promised to continue the search and invited parties concerned in the international community to set up independent team to thoroughly investigate into the event, to which China has a positive and welcome attitude.

China is ready to closely cooperate with the Malaysian and Australian sides in the search work while carrying out fair investigation, he said, adding that China will work with Malaysia to provide service to relatives of the passengers, and protect their just and lawful interests.

Qin expressed deep empathy and sympathy to the relatives of all people aboard the plane, including those of the 154 Chinese passengers.

Qin also expressed China's sincere gratitude to efforts made by all parties related, including Malaysia and Australia, in the search and investigation work, noting that several countries' governments and leaders had expressed sympathy to Chinese side and Chinese passengers' relatives on many occasions.

In the massive search operation that has lasted for more than 50 days, China attached great importance to the event. China has sent a total of 18 naval vessels, 13 planes, and used 21 satellites in the search operation, according to Qin.

"The scale of this search operation is unprecedented in China's history," Qin said.

Malaysia Airlines said in a press release on Thursday that as there is still no trace of the missing flight MH370, the search operation in the southern Indian Ocean is moving to a new phase. Also on Thursday, Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement that the flight was yet to be found after weeks of search.

Flight MH370 went missing early on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.