Tripartite Summit

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (center) greets President of the Republic of Korea Roh Moo Hyun (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before their first trilateral meeting in two years in Cebu, the second largest city of the Philippines, on January 14.

The three countries agreed to improve “coordination on major political and diplomatic issues involving the three countries as well as international and regional issues,” according to a statement.

Japan’s relations with China and South Korea had soured due to former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine. After Abe took office last September, he visited China and South Korea and pledged efforts to restore political trust with the two East Asian neighbors.

Wen said further strengthening cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea is in conformity with the common aspirations of the people of all countries in the region, the common expectations of the international community and the trend of the times.