During a trilateral meeting in Seoul, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to revive three-way cooperation to address shared challenges. The meeting marked the first such gathering in over four years, signaling a positive step towards enhancing cooperation among the Northeast Asian neighbors.
Key points discussed during the meeting included a focus on economic issues such as supply chains and the potential restart of talks on a three-way free trade deal. The leaders also emphasized promoting people-to-people exchanges, establishing safe supply chain networks, and collaborating on environmental and health-related matters.
However, tensions arose as Premier Li expressed concerns over Japan and South Korea's deepening security partnership with the United States, cautioning against the formation of blocs to contain China. Li emphasized the importance of maintaining bilateral relations and promoting multipolarity in the world.
North Korea's plan to launch a satellite added a layer of complexity to the discussions, with South Korea and Japan urging stern international action to deter the launch. The leaders also called on China, North Korea's major ally, to leverage its influence to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
While the trilateral meeting aimed to strengthen ties and address regional challenges, underlying issues such as historical tensions, China's global ambitions, and U.S. alliances in the region continue to pose challenges to the three countries' relations.
Despite these complexities, the leaders reiterated their commitment to constructive dialogue and cooperation, underscoring the importance of addressing sensitive issues while respecting each other's core interests. The trilateral summit, representing a significant portion of global GDP, serves as a platform for reducing frictions and fostering multilateralism in the region.
