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China, Japan, ROK leaders meet in Beijing

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C), President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Myung-bak (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (R) shake hands during the fifth meeting of the leaders of China, Japan and the ROK at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2012. The meeting kicked off in Beijing on Sunday morning. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo

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.

 

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