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Li Keqiang Meets with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Foreign Minister of Japan Attending the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting among China, the ROK and Japan

On the morning of August 22, 2019, Premier Li Keqiang met at the Great Hall of the People with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Foreign Minister Taro Kono of Japan, who attended in China the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting among China, the ROK and Japan.

Li Keqiang expressed his congratulations on the successful holding of the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting among China, the ROK and Japan. He expressed, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the inception of China-ROK-Japan cooperation. The three countries, being geographically close to each other and enjoying cultural affinity, have highly complementary economies and great potential for cooperation. Amid the increasing instability and uncertainty of the global economy and the growing downward pressure on the global economy and trade, cooperation among the three countries not only benefits our own development, but also works as a stabilizer and engine of the regional and global economy. The Chinese side attaches great importance to trilateral cooperation and is ready to make joint efforts to pursue a higher level of trilateral cooperation with the ROK and Japanese sides.

Li Keqiang pointed out, cooperation among China, the ROK and Japan has achieved great development, and the importance and necessity of our cooperation will be further highlighted. The three countries should safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as its core, and strive to reach a comprehensive and high-level China-ROK-Japan free trade agreement at an early date to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. The three countries need to jointly promote scientific and technological innovation to share development opportunities and innovative achievements, and work together to advance development and prosperity to push forward East Asian cooperation. We should also jointly maintain regional peace and stability to make positive contributions to reaching a political solution to the Korean Peninsula issue and achieving denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. China, the ROK and Japan should enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges to improve mutual understanding of the peoples of the three countries and cement the foundation of public support for trilateral cooperation.

Kang Kyung-wha noted, the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting among the ROK, China and Japan achieved positive results, providing a plan for trilateral cooperation in the next step. The ROK side looks forward to a successful leaders' meeting among the three countries to be held in China within this year, so as to contribute to regional peace, stability and development. As ROK-China relations enjoy sound development, the ROK side is confident of ROK-China cooperation in the future.

Taro Kono said, the Foreign Ministers of Japan, China and the ROK reached broad consensus on looking into the future and carrying out practical cooperation. The Japanese side is ready to work closely with China and the ROK to ensure a complete success of the leaders' meeting within this year. Japan and China enjoy close high-level exchanges and continuous and in-depth cooperation in various fields. The Japanese side stands ready to work with the Chinese side to promote the long-term, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

Wang Yi was present.

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