China-Japan-ROK meeting resumption reflects Beijing's neighborhood commitment

BEIJING -- China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are set to hold a first trilateral leaders' meeting in three years, ending a period of diplomatic deadlock due to heightened regional tensions.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend the meeting, to be held in Seoul on the sidelines of his official visit to the ROK from Saturday to Monday.

"Facing the complicated international situation and the weak recovery of the world economy, strengthening trilateral cooperation, maintaining regional peace and stability, and powering the economic development of Asia and the world is very important," said Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin at a press briefing on Monday afternoon.

The leaders will discuss the trilateral cooperation and exchange views on issues of common concern. They will hold a joint press conference and attend a trilateral business summit, Liu said.

The three countries began taking turns to host their annual leaders' meetings in 2008.

However, disputes over maritime sovereignty chilled Sino-Japanese relations. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors WWII war criminals, as well as his words and deeds whitewashing Japan's aggressive history weakened Japan's ties with its Asian neighbors, and the trilateral leaders' meetings were suspended after the fifth edition in May 2012.

Liu said it was "a common decision of the three countries to restart the meeting, in an aim to promote trilateral cooperation."

Liu Jiangyong, a professor with Tsinghua University, said that circumstances had combined to make all three sides willing to engage.

He noted Abe was facing domestic and international pressure to improve ties with neighbors. Many communication mechanisms between China and Japan have halted, and bilateral trade and investment has slumped.

The ROK, being the coordinator since the last meeting in 2012, bears the responsibility to maintain the mechanism, Liu Jiangyong said.

On China's part, it agreed to return to the table because the three countries are highly interdependent and their cooperation is very important for regional peace, stability and development, according to the academic.

"China hopes the meeting will be an opportunity for the three countries to review the past and find a way out of their difficulties," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying at Monday's daily press briefing.

Hua called on the three countries to continue partnerships in areas including trade, culture and sustainable development, and expand into new areas such as the economy, information technology and poverty reduction.

China, Japan and the ROK have an economic aggregate accounting for 70 percent of Asia and 20 percent of the world. The trade volume among them in 2013 reached 681.4 billion U.S. dollars, exceeding China's trade volume with the European Union or the United States.

A deteriorating relationship "is no good for any of these three neighbors," said Yang Bojiang, deputy head of the Institute of Japan Study of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. China's approval for the resumption showcases its pragmatic and flexible diplomacy. The meeting will help improve ties and prevent Japan from going further down a wrong path."

This meeting follows thawing relations between China and Japan, and closer ties between China and the ROK.

China and the ROK have become closer since President Park Geun-hye took office. In her first China visit in June 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with her twice in two days.

In September, Park attended commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing, showing the common commitment of the two countries to regional peace and stability.

The signing of a free trade agreement in June should also provide broad opportunities for the two countries' businesses.

China-Japan relations have also improved since the latter half of last year. In November, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Japanese National Security Advisor Shotaro Yachi met in Beijing, with the two sides agreeing to gradually resume political, diplomatic and security dialogue while acknowledging different positions on the Diaoyu Islands.

Xi Jinping met with Abe three days later.

Then in March, China-Japan-ROK foreign ministers' meetings resumed in Seoul. The three sides agreed to work together for an early resumption of the leaders' meeting.

"The resumption is in the interests of the three countries and the region as a whole. However, the result of the upcoming meeting depends on Japan's attitude, since China and the ROK will not give up their position on matters of principle, such as historical issues," Yang Bojiang said.

Liu Zhenmin similarly stressed that China will not change its stance on history and will "continue to demand positive comment from the Japanese leaders and government."

Academic Liu Jiangyong said the extra direct contact between the three nations will be helpful but they are unlikely to solve all their problems through a single meeting.

He also urged Japan to "take long-term interests into consideration, give up its wrong historical and geopolitical concept, and not to take China as an imaginary enemy."