BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua)
— The fifth meeting of the leaders of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) kicked off in
Beijing on Sunday morning.
The meeting is chaired by Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao and attended by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and ROK President Lee
Myung-bak.
At the start of the meeting, Wen said facts have
proven that cooperation between China, Japan and the ROK is in the fundamental interests of the three
nations and their peoples, and it “has increased our strength to fight difficulties and seek common
development.”
Leaders of the three countries reviewed the
progress of trilateral cooperation, laid out plans for future cooperation and exchanged views on global
and regional issues of common concern. They agreed to launch talks on a free trade area (FTA) this year
and witnessed the signing of an investment agreement between the three countries.
The trilateral
meeting is of great significance for the peace and stability of the region, as the international
financial crisis is not yet over and the outlook on the European debt crisis is uncertain, Wen
said.
“Northeast Asia and East Asia face many unstable and uncertain factors. The three
countries need to strengthen strategic communication and coordination, continue to enhance political
and strategic mutual trust, respect and accommodate each other’s major concerns, create a positive and
friendly social environment and properly handle unfavorable cooperation factors so as to safeguard
common interests and open a new chapter for the three countries’ cooperation,” he
said.
Speaking on the situation in Northeast Asia, Wen said peace and stability in Northeast
Asia is in the vital interests of all the countries in the region and it is the major precondition for
sustainable development and prosperity.
“We need to leave Cold War thinking behind, insist on
resolving relevant issues through peaceful dialogues and negotiations, pay attention to the reasonable
security concerns of all parties and make joint efforts to promote long-standing peace in Northeast
Asia,” he said.
“The current priority is to try our best to avoid the escalation of the already
tense situation on the Korean Peninsula. All parties need to use their wisdom at the most extent,
maintain calmness, restraint and patience, show their goodwill, so to ease tensions and get back to the
right track of dialogue and negotiations.”
Lee and Noda said the three countries enjoy
large-scale cooperation that covers a wide range of areas and is fruitful. They advised the three
countries to further strengthen communication and coordination, bring the three countries’ cooperation
to a higher level, advance the construction of the FTA and launch negotiations on the FTA this
year. They said the investment agreement is of great significance and the three countries need to
implement the agreement earnestly, enhance cooperation in sustainable development and the cultural and
social fields and work together to safeguard peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
After the meeting the leaders of the three cours outside the ASEAN plus
China, Japan and the ROK framework was held in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2008.
