China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting to 'open new prospects for cooperation'

BEIJING - The upcoming China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting will open up new prospects for cooperation and contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday in Beijing.

The meeting, the seventh of its kind, will be held in Japan on May 9. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and ROK President Moon Jae-in will attend the meeting.

They will meet with the press after the meeting and address the opening ceremony of a business summit, spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing.

China-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful outcomes in areas such as the economy, trade, finance, transport, culture, education, environment, health, and disaster management. An investment agreement has been signed, and 13 rounds of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations have been held, according to Hua.

"Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of China-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation," she said, expressing hope that the upcoming leaders' meeting will usher in new prospects in the cooperation.

In addition to attending the meeting, Premier Li will also pay an official visit to Japan.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and bilateral ties face an important opportunity for improvement, Hua said.

During the visit, Li will hold talks with Abe and meet with Japanese Emperor Akihito.

The official visit to Japan, the first made by a Chinese premier after eight years, will further consolidate the improving momentum, push ties back to the normal track and chart the future development of bilateral ties, Hua said.