The eighth China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting in China; Israel's ruling party Likud holds a primary for its leadership; Fourth anniversary of the founding of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); Iran, Russia and China hold joint naval exercises.

The eighth China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting

The eighth China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting will be held in the city of Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will chair the trilateral meeting, and President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend. Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Moon and Abe in Beijing.

The meeting, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry, will chart the course for future cooperation and nurture more cooperation highlights and growth areas for the three countries as this year also marks the 20th anniversary of China-Japan-ROK cooperation.

Free trade negotiations and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are expected to be prominent at the trilateral meeting. Besides, leaders will also exchange views and strengthen coordination on international and regional issues of common concern, including the Korean Peninsula situation, said the foreign ministry.

Israel's leadership primary

Israel's ruling party Likud is going to hold a primary for its leadership on Thursday if new elections go ahead, said the party in a statement.

The leadership election is also regarded as the most serious primary challenge in years for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel's longest-serving leader was involved in a corruption indictment and failures to form a government after the national election.

Gideon Sa'ar is recognized as the main as well as the first real challenger to Netanyahu's leadership. The former education minister has pledged to run a "positive, clean, and issue-driven campaign, and present an agenda for Israel's future."

Day by day

Monday: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem meet in Moscow; ROK President Moon Jae-in visits China for a trilateral meeting with Chinese and Japanese leaders (to Dec. 25); Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe starts his three-day visit to China (to Dec. 25).

Tuesday: The eighth China-Japan-ROK leaders' meeting in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, ROK President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend.

Wednesday: Fourth anniversary of the founding of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); Christmas Day.

Thursday: Israel's Likud party holds its leadership primary.

Friday: Iran, Russia and China hold joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean.

Saturday: A quiet day for politics.

Sunday: A quiet day for politics.

(With input from agencies)