Back at the summit table: China, Japan and South Korea focus on region's prosperity and security
Leaders of China, Japan and South Korea put regional priorities ahead of historical animosities
The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan said on Sunday they were willing to work together again for regional trade and security after setting aside historical animosities with their first summit talks in three years.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed a wide range of topics, from free trade to the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, during a 90-minute meeting in Seoul.
A joint statement after the talks included a commitment to sealing a trilateral free-trade agreement that would provide a counterpoint to the new US-led Pacific trade pact of which China and South Korea are not members.
Read more: Trade pact promises South Korean players unprecedented access to Chinese finance, telecom markets: Premier Li Keqiang
Officials also said they agreed to work towards the conclusion of a 16-nation FTA known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
"All parties involved in the RCEP negotiations are very active and have a strong wish," Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng told the on the sidelines of the summit.
"We are capable of reaching the goal set by the state leaders of substantially concluding the negotiations by the end of 2015," Gao said.
Park said after the summit that the leaders agreed to expand economic and social cooperation for the mutual prosperity of Northeast Asia, and also to strengthen cooperation among the three countries to create new momentum for growth.
