SEOUL: Chinese Premier Li Qiang agreed with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday to launch a diplomatic and security dialogue and resume free trade talks, and discussed regional tensions with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The leaders held bilateral meetings in Seoul a day before the first summit by the three Asian neighbours in more than four years.
Yoon told Li that South Korea and China should work together not only to promote shared interests based on mutual respect but also on regional and global issues to tackle common challenges. "I hope to continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation even in the face of today's global complex crises," Yoon said at the start of the meeting, according to his office.
Yoon asked China to play a greater role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, especially as North Korea continues to develop nuclear missiles and boost military cooperation with Russia, saying another spy satellite launch using intercontinental ballistic-missile technology is imminent.
Li told Yoon their countries should oppose turning economic and trade issues into political or security ones, and should work to maintain stable supply chains, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
Li said China was ready to strengthen cooperation in high-end manufacturing, new energy, artificial intelligence, biomedicine and other fields.
China will further expand market access, strengthen guarantees for foreign investment and welcomes more South Korean companies do business in the country, he said.
The three leaders attended a banquet where multicultural choirs and bands performed traditional and modern songs, while the menu included tofu, dumplings and bean pastes - cuisine staples in all three countries.
At a separate meeting with Kishida, Yoon lauded progress on diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges with Japan, and they agreed to deepen ties next year when the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalising relations, Yoon's office said.
China and Japan agreed to hold a new round of bilateral high-level economic dialogue at an appropriate time, according to CCTV.
Yoon, Li and Kishida will adopt a joint statement on six areas including the economy and trade, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges and health and the aging population, Seoul officials said. The summit comes as South Korea and Japan have been working to mend ties frayed by historical disputes while deepening a trilateral security partnership with the United States. — Reuters
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