Trilateral Leaders' Meeting: China, Japan, South Korea leaders agree to cooperate on trade and DPRK

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have joined Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, for a trilateral leaders' meeting. The three leaders discussed issues including trade and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and agreed to deepen their cooperation on these issues. CGTN's Yang Zhao has the details.

A trilateral meeting among the three regional powerhouses that's supposed to be held annually since 2008, has been repeatedly postponed in recent years, due to historical and territorial disputes.

But this year, an easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula and a potential trade war between China and the US have become major reasons to put the meeting back on track.

Li Keqiang is paying his first visit to Japan since taking office in 2012. China and Japan also vowed to not mention the disputed islands issue. The goal is to allow the trilateral meeting to progress smoothly.

At the meeting, China has been focusing its diplomatic efforts on boosting regional economic relations. The Chinese premier said the three should carry out joint projects in areas such as capacity cooperation, poverty reduction, and disaster management, through a new model that he referred to as "China-Japan-South Korea plus X".

LI KEQIANG CHINESE PREMIER "The three countries are complimentary in trade and economy, and we could integrate as one force to cooperate with other parties."

According to Xinhua News Agency, the new model will help the three countries promote the rapid and sound development of other Asian countries.

MOON JAE-IN SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT "The three countries' populations account for one-fifth of the world's total, our GDP accounts for one-quarter of the world economy, while our trade makes up one-fifth of the world's total. And so, the three of us play a vital role in world peace and the global economy. It's our shared responsibility to safeguard peace and development in the region."

The Korean Peninsula issue is also high on the agenda. As the host, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he wishes the three countries could take advantage of recent progress made on this issue.

SHINZO ABE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER "If the DPRK can move forward in the right direction, I can normalize diplomatic relations with the DPRK based on the Pyongyang Declaration. This is the persistent position of Japan on the DPRK. The key of the problem is whether the DPRK can walk on the right path and strive for a bright future for the country."

Premier Li said China welcomes the decision made by the two Koreas to put the issue back on the negotiating table and support the upcoming talks between the US and the DPRK and potential talks between Japan and the DPRK. The Three leaders all agreed the three nations need to stay close and hold the meeting on a regular basis.