On the morning of May 9, 2018 local time, Premier Li Keqiang attended the 7th leaders' meeting of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the State Guest House in Tokyo with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and President Moon Jae-in of the ROK, exchanging views on the cooperation among China, Japan and the ROK as well as regional and international issues.
Li Keqiang said that as three major economies in the world and important partners in economic and trade cooperation, China, Japan and the ROK shoulder important responsibilities for boosting regional economic development, guiding the process of regional integration and safeguarding regional peace and stability. In the face of the current complex and ever-changing international political and economic situation, strengthening cooperation among China, Japan and the ROK not only meets the development needs of the three countries, but also accords with the common expectation of countries in the region and the international community. The three sides should seize the opportunity to expand the integration of interests and strive to promote lasting peace and common prosperity in the region.
Firstly, the three countries should accumulate political mutual trust and create a sound atmosphere. The three countries share far more common interests than differences, and the differences can also be managed, controlled and resolved with the wisdom of the Eastern people. We should face up to the history, look into the future, and develop a higher level of cooperation at the new historical starting point.
Secondly, the three countries should jointly safeguard free trade and promote regional economic integration. We must firmly safeguard the rules-based multilateral trade system and fight against protectionism and unilateralism. We should raise the level of regional economic integration and jointly promote the construction of an open, interconnected, inclusive and balanced Asian economic system. We should speed up the process of negotiation on the China-Japan-ROK free trade area, and promote the agreement on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership at an early date. We should lead and advance the formulation of the blueprint for the East Asia economic community and strengthen cooperation in the six major areas of trade liberalization and facilitation, production capacity and investment, infrastructure and connectivity, finance, sustainable development as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Thirdly, the three countries should forge the "China-Japan-ROK+X" mode to promote regional sustainable development. We should combine the advantages of the three sides, and implement joint projects in such fields as production capacity cooperation, disaster prevention and reduction, energy conservation and environment protection through the "China-Japan-ROK+X" mode, so as to promote better and faster development of countries in the region.
Fourthly, the three countries should deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and consolidate the public opinion foundation. We should fully tap the cultural connotation of the historical traditions of the three countries and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in such fields as culture, education, tourism and media, so as to promote spiritual communication. We should expand personnel exchanges and strengthen youth exchanges.
Fifthly, we should encourage technological innovation, and push forward the work in poverty alleviation, environment protection and disaster resistance, so as to promote global inclusive growth.
Li Keqiang stressed that the three countries should work together to maintain regional stability and prosperity and make contributions to world peace and development. The three countries should promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind as well as jointly build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful Asia and world that enjoy lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. The three sides should promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, adhere to the general direction of settlement through dialogue, the general goal of the denuclearization as well as the general principle of addressing both symptoms and root causes, and make positive contributions to the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue and to achieving lasting peace of the region. The three sides should promote the "Belt and Road" in accordance with the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, further strengthen policy communication and coordination and guide the enterprises in the three countries to carry out various forms of cooperation.
Shinzo Abe expressed that as three major trading nations in the world, the three countries all support free trade and open market, and should propose trading rules with high standards that match the 21st century. In terms of people-to-people and cultural exchanges, the three countries should take the holding of the Olympic Games and Paralympics in the three countries as opportunities to promote personnel exchanges, strengthen education and tourism cooperation, and promote the development of the region towards a more open and inclusive direction. The Japanese side congratulated on the successful talks of the leaders between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), expressed its appreciation for the complete denuclearization commitment in the Panmunjom Declaration and its respect for the unremitting efforts made by the Chinese side on the Korean Peninsula issue. Japan, China and the ROK should jointly cooperate with the international community to push forward the process of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The promotion for future-oriented cooperation of the three countries is crucial for regional peace and prosperity.
Moon Jae-in said that the ROK-China-Japan leaders' meeting was held again after two and a half years. The three countries are inseparable cooperation partners. It is hoped that the leaders' meeting will be held regularly in the future to make it regularized and institutionalized. The ROK-DPRK leaders' talks have laid a sound foundation for the realization of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as peace and stability. China and Japan have upheld the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and supported the talks between the ROK and the DPRK, which has injected strength into the successful holding of the talks. China and Japan are indispensable in the process of realizing peace on the Korean Peninsula. The Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia will surely usher in peace and prosperity. The three countries should enrich the content of practical cooperation, and promote cooperation in the areas that are closely related to the people's lives such as environmental protection, medical care, energy, and disaster resistance, so as to let the people of the three countries enjoy tangible benefits.
Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the meeting.