Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula at a press conference following the 8th China-Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) leaders' meeting in the Chinese southwestern city of Chengdu on Tuesday.

Li urged the three sides to jointly maintain regional peace and stability, so as to ensure a favorable environment for Asia's sustainable development.  

Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul need to not only properly handle disputes among themselves, Li said, but also play a constructive role in handling such hot regional issues as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. 

China will continue to work with the international community and strive for denuclearization and long-term peace and stability of the peninsula, said the premier.  

Echoing Li's stance, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed the priority to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, and ROK President Moon Jae-in said peace on the Korean Peninsula was in the "common interest" of the three countries. 

Speed up trilateral FTA negotiation

During the China-Japan-Republic of Korea leaders' meeting, Li urged the three countries to speed up the negotiations on the trilateral free trade agreement, and promote regional economic integration. 

Li said the three countries are all firm supporters of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and hoped the deal could be signed next year. 

He welcomed entrepreneurs from Japan and the ROK to invest in China and promised equal opportunities for them.  

Uphold multilateralism  

Li said the current world is undergoing great changes, and called on the three countries to enhance cooperation and uphold multilateralism and free trade to jointly cope with challenges and contribute to regional and global peace and stability. 

"We must work together for openness and tolerance, uphold the principles of mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, safeguard free trade, advance the reform of the World Trade Organization, and oppose 'decoupling' and division," said Li. 

He also called for closer cooperation in the fields of environment protection, aging populations, climate change and so on. 

Moon and Abe echoed Li's appeals. Moon said the three countries should promote scientific and technological innovation cooperation, increase efforts to protect intellectual property rights and boost cultural exchanges. 

He said the ROK is willing to work with all parties to promote the denuclearization of the peninsula and maintain peace and stability in the region. 

Abe said the three countries should take the opportunity to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote the three countries' sports, tourism and cultural exchanges and cooperation, deepen cooperation on environmental protection, marine debris and other issues.  

He added that Japan is committed to working with China and the ROK to safeguard free trade and multilateralism, and to maintain a fair, just and non-discriminatory investment environment. 

The three countries also released the Trilateral Cooperation Vision for the Next Decade and the Trilateral + X Cooperation Early Harvest Projects, vowing to enhance their cooperation in multiple areas.

(Cover: China's Premier Li Keqiang, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and ROK's President Moon Jae-in attend the 8th trilateral leaders' meeting between China, Japan and ROK in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, December 24, 2019. /Reuters Photo)