WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The United States welcomed Friday a new round of security talks between China and Japan, describing good relations between them "incredibly important thing " for the region.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said she did not see the announcement, but she told reporters "We obviously believe that good relationship between China, Japan, countries in the region, is an incredibly important thing for peace and stability in the region."

The security dialogue, slated for later this month, is the first between the two neighbors in four years.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao will travel to Japan for talks with Japanese diplomats and defense officials, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing Friday.

She said Liu and Japanese diplomats and defense officials will exchange views on bilateral ties, defense policy as well as regional and international issues.

The last security dialogue, the 12th round since 1993, was held in Beijing in January 2011. Talks were stalled after the Japanese government illegally "nationalized" part of the Diaoyu Islands in 2012.

In November last year, China and Japan signed a four-point agreement to ease tensions and resume political, diplomatic and security dialogues while acknowledging different positions on the issue of Diaoyu Islands.