The Chinese and Japanese premiers have arrived in Seoul ahead of a rare trilateral summit. The meeting, the first such one in five years, indicates a desire for increased regional cooperation.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in the South Korean capital, Seoul, on Sunday for talks, with the first trilateral summit in five years to be held on Monday.
Meetings during their visit are expected to focus on improving cooperation between the three countries rather than on the many geopolitical challenges facing the region.
The three neighbors last held a three-way top-level meeting in late 2019. An initiative to hold an annual summit from 2008 to boost cooperation has been periodically disrupted by diplomatic rows and the coronavirus pandemic.
What are the leaders expected to discuss?
Li and Kishida are scheduled to meet with each other for two-way talks on Sunday, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK. The two will also meet separately with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol before all three leaders join for their meeting the following day.
Yoon, in power since 2020, has worked toward reconciliation with former colonial power Japan as both countries faces a growing threat from nuclear-armed North Korea under its leader Kim Jong Un.
For its part, China is North Korea’s largest trading partner and a key ally.
However, the talks are expected to steer away from issues related to the North-South tensions. An official from Seoul’s presidential office said such matters were “difficult to resolve cleanly and quickly in a short time” and that the summit would center more on economic cooperation.
The official agenda also does not include issues such as China’s claim to self-governed Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
According to the presidential office, the focus will instead be on people-to-people exchanges, climate change, trade, health issues, technology and disaster responses.
The three leaders will will adopt a joint statement on the six areas, Seoul officials said.
