China, Japan, S Korea pledge cooperation amid US tariff worries
AP
Synopsis
The talks in Tokyo followed a rare summit in May in Seoul where the three neighbours--riven by historical and territorial disputes--agreed to deepen trade ties and restated their goal of a denuclearised Korean peninsula. They come amid US tariffs loom over the region and concerns over North Korea's arms tests and its deployment of troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
By AFP
Last Updated:
Japan, South Korea and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean peninsula was a shared responsibility, South Korea's foreign minister said, as the top diplomats of the three nations' pledged to promote cooperation.
"We reaffirmed that maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is a shared interest and responsibility of the three countries," Seoul's Cho Tae-yul said after the Eleventh Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Stance on North Korea
Seoul and Tokyo typically take a stronger line against North Korea than China, which remains one of Pyongyang's most important allies and economic benefactors.
Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya said he, Cho, and China's Wang Yi "had a frank exchange of views on trilateral cooperation and regional international affairs... and confirmed that we will promote future-orientated cooperation".
Patricia M Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that while "trilateral dialogues have been ongoing for over a decade", this round "carries heightened significance" due to the new US position.
Meanwhile, in Beijing, US senator Steve Daines met China's Vice Premier He Lifeng, who "firmly" criticised Washington's economic policy while appealing for dialogue in talks with the staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. The visit by Daines, who will meet Sunday with Premier Li Qiang, is seen as a way to ease strained trade relations.
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The talks in Tokyo followed a rare summit in May in Seoul where the three neighbours--riven by historical and territorial disputes--agreed to deepen trade ties and restated their goal of a denuclearised Korean peninsula. They come amid US tariffs loom over the region and concerns over North Korea's arms tests and its deployment of troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine."We reaffirmed that maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is a shared interest and responsibility of the three countries," Seoul's Cho Tae-yul said after the Eleventh Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Stance on North Korea
Seoul and Tokyo typically take a stronger line against North Korea than China, which remains one of Pyongyang's most important allies and economic benefactors.
Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya said he, Cho, and China's Wang Yi "had a frank exchange of views on trilateral cooperation and regional international affairs... and confirmed that we will promote future-orientated cooperation".
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Wang noted this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, saying "only by sincerely reflecting on history can we better build the future".Patricia M Kim, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that while "trilateral dialogues have been ongoing for over a decade", this round "carries heightened significance" due to the new US position.
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US Senator in BeijingMeanwhile, in Beijing, US senator Steve Daines met China's Vice Premier He Lifeng, who "firmly" criticised Washington's economic policy while appealing for dialogue in talks with the staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. The visit by Daines, who will meet Sunday with Premier Li Qiang, is seen as a way to ease strained trade relations.
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