China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Monday agreed to deepen their all-round cooperative partnership.
The agreement came at the end of a day-long foreign ministers' meeting in Shanghai, involving Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and ROK Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung Hwan.
The three countries will build stronger strategic mutual trust, deepen and upgrade cooperation, carry out people-to-people exchanges and promote east Asia cooperation and regional peace and development, said a statement issued after the meeting.
The meeting coincided with the 10th anniversary of the launch of a trilateral cooperative mechanism between China, Japan and the ROK.
The ministers reviewed and summarized the progress of trilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on commemorative events to mark the 10th anniversary and future cooperation as well as regional and international issues of common concern, according to the statement.
They said they were "satisfied with the trilateral cooperation progress."
For the last decade, trilateral cooperation had taken on a good momentum of development, the statement said.
The three countries put their good-neighborly friendship at the key position of their own foreign relations, the statement said, citing high-level exchanges, increased political trust and efforts to implement their cooperative action plan.
The countries had implemented more than 30 cooperative projects, covering politics, economics, environmental protection, science and technology, society, culture and international affairs, said the statement.
The foreign ministers also exchanged views on the second trilateral leaders' summit scheduled for Oct. 10 in Beijing.
"At a critical juncture to deal with the global economic downturn, promote recovery and boost growth, the leaders' summit will be significant to enhance political mutual trust, advance reciprocal cooperation, and promote Asian stability and development," the statement said.
The three ministers agreed to keep close communication in preparation for the leaders' summit.
The first summit between China, Japan and the ROK was held in Fukuoka, Japan, on Dec. 13, 2008.
The foreign ministers' meeting also covered the world economy and finance, northeast Asian issues, east Asian cooperation, climate change, reform of the United Nations, arms control, disarmament, and anti-proliferation.
They agreed to hold the fourth trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in the ROK next year.
(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2009)
