China said it hopes Japan will do much more for regional peace and stability after the country reportedly opened a radar station in the East China Sea on Monday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei was responding to reports that Japan had activated a radar station on Yonaguni Island in Okinawa.

The radar station in the East China Sea, as a permanent intelligence-gathering post close to Taiwan and a group of islands disputed by Japan and China, is bound to rile Beijing, Reuters reported. "It means we can keep watch on territory surrounding Japan and respond to all situations," Daigo Shiomitsu, a Ground Self-Defense Force lieutenant colonel who commands the new base, told Reuters.

"China has a clear and consistent stance on the East China Sea and Diaoyu Islands issues," Hong said, expressing his hope that Japan can do more to benefit regional peace and stability.

Asked to comment on Japan's controversial new security-related legislation, which takes effect Tuesday, Hong said history tells us military and security policy moves by Japan have been watched closely by its Asian neighbors and the international community.

He added that "we hope the Japanese side learns from the hard lessons of history, sticks to the path of peaceful development, acts with discretion on military and security issues and does more to enhance mutual trust with neighbors and to benefit regional peace and stability," Hong said.