China, Japan and South Korea agree to ramp up cooperation in rare summit in Seoul

China has agreed to revive trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan to address shared challenges, but also criticized the two countries’ increasing security collaboration with the United States.

This was agreed during Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul. This was the three countries’ first such trilateral meeting in more than four years.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, addressing a joint news conference after the meeting, described the trilateral talks as “both a restart and a new beginning” while addressing reporters after his discussions with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Li said China wants to cooperate with Japan and South Korea on economic issues, especially those related to supply chains. Beijing is also interested in resuming of talks on a three-way free trade deal, the Chinese premier said.

Yoon said the three leaders agreed to enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, set up secure supply chain networks and collaborate on environmental, health and other common issues.

Kishida said the three countries share a big responsibility for regional peace and that Japan will host the next trilateral leaders’ meeting.

Li also expressed Chinese uneasiness about Japan and South Korea’s moves to beef up their security partnership with the U.S., which Beijing views as an attempt to form a bloc to contain China.

“We need to have honest dialogues to better enhance trust and resolve doubts. We must uphold the spirit of strategic autonomy and maintain our bilateral relations,” Li said in comments at the start of the meeting with Yoon and Kishida. “We need to promote multipolarity in the world and oppose the formation of blocs or camps.”

In a joint statement, the three countries pledged to expedite negotiations for a “high-quality” trilateral free trade deal and agreed to expand programs focused on climate change, student exchanges, and disaster relief.

They also agreed to regularize the trilateral talks, which had been on hold since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tensions among the Asian powers. Bilateral meetings Li also held bilateral meetings with Yoon and Kishida on Sunday.

In the meeting with Li, Yoon asked Beijing to play its role in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, discussing North Korea’s nuclear program and its increasing military ties with Russia.

After his meeting with Li, Japanese premier told reporters that he had voiced serious concerns about the situations in the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and China’s northwestern Xinjiang region. He also mentioned that Japan was keeping a close watch on developments in self-governed Taiwan.

China says three countries should see each other as “partners”

Chinese Premier Li Qiang Li said the three countries should see each other as “partners and opportunities for development”, China’s state-run Xinhua reported.

“Li called for opposing turning economic and trade issues into political games or security matters, and rejecting protectionism as well as decoupling or the severing of supply chains,” Xinhua said.

South Korean officials said the three countries are expected to sign a joint statement on cooperation on the economy and trade, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges and health, and the ageing population.

More than 200 business leaders from the three countries also met n the sidelines of the summit and agreed to boost cooperation in trade and supply chains.