国内英语新闻:Leaders of China, Japan, South Korea discuss cooperation

BALI, Indonesia, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of China, Japan and South Korea met here Saturday to exchange views on trilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of common concern.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak were meeting on the occasion of a series of meetings for East and Southeast Asian leaders in this Indonesian resort city on Friday and Saturday.

Speaking at the meeting, Wen said the cooperation between the three nations currently had good momentum, which was not only in line with the interests of the three sides but also contributed to the stability and development of the Asia and the world.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L), Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (C) and Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee Myung-Bak pose for photos during the Trilateral Summit Meeting for leaders of the three nations in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 19, 2011.

As the coordinator of next year's China-Japan-South Korea cooperation, China would like to further enhance high-level exchanges, policy coordination and strategic trust between the three countries, providing political impetus and promoting more advancement in trilateral cooperation, Wen said.

He said next year marked the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea.

In the meeting, Wen proposed the joint research into a free trade area between the three countries be completed this year, and negotiations start in 2012.

Wen also suggested enhancing trilateral cooperation in the fields of transportation, finance and environmental protection, among many others.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Japanese prime minister and the South Korean president said the cooperation between the three nations had seen remarkable achievement and its prospects were promising.

The three sides should continue to deepen their exchanges and cooperation in various fields including economy and trade, finance, investment, disaster relief, culture, education and tourism, and strengthen the coordination in regional and international issues to promote common development, according to them.

During the meeting, the three leaders also exchanged views on other regional and international issues of common concern.