Seoul, May 27, (dpa/GNA) – East Asian powerhouses China, Japan and South Korea on Monday agreed to deepen economic relations and revitalize negotiations on a free trade agreement.

In a joint declaration after a summit in Seoul, the powers emphasized their commitment to the goal of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and political solutions for issues between South Korea and North Korea.

The statement also included calls for cooperation on sustainable development, health care, science and technology, and disaster management.

The countries were represented in the South Korean capital by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Yoon said at a press conference that the three countries “have decided to hold regular trilateral meetings.” The powers agreed the format has “valuable significance for the revitalization of trilateral cooperation.”

The meeting was the countries’ ninth trilateral summit, but the first since December 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic coupled with tensions between South Korea and Japan. Relations have since improved between the two nations, both allies of the United States.

Both are closely linked to China through trade ties while also sharing Washington’s concerns about Beijing’s expanding reach.GNA