Trade ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are scheduled to meet here Saturday to discuss a range of trilateral trade issues.

China's Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, ROK Trade Minister Bark Tae Ho and Japanese Industry Minister Yukio Edano will attend the meeting, China's Ministry of Commerce said Monday.

The three countries will discuss signing a trilateral investment agreement and setting up a free trade area (FTA) at the meeting, which is the highest-level meeting on economic and trade issues among the three countries.

They will also discuss the Pan-Yellow Sea economic and technical exchange session, intellectual property cooperation and the 2012 Yeosu Korea World Expo.

On May 2, China and the ROK announced the start of negotiations for setting up an FTA. Chen hoped the negotiations will be concluded within two years.

Saturday's meeting will be the ninth of its kind as well as the first to be held in Beijing.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2012)