With tensions in Northeast Asia escalating into dangerous territory, the leaders of Japan, China and South Korea on Monday sought to clear the air and chart a new path forward in their first three-way summit since 2019.
In a highly anticipated meeting in Seoul, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to cooperate in a wide range of fields, including the economy and trade, while pledging to regularize diplomatic talks and resume negotiations on a free trade agreement.
In a joint statement, the three sides pledged future-oriented cooperation, vowing to work more closely together in areas ranging from the economy to sustainable development, health issues, science and technology, disaster and safety management, as well as people-to-people exchanges.