South Korea, China, Japan to hold first summit in 4 years on May 26-27

SEOUL — The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan will hold their first trilateral summit in more than four years in Seoul on May 26-27, Seoul's presidential office said on May 23.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will have bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on May 26, ahead of their three-way gathering the following day, deputy national security advisor Kim Tae-hyo said.

The three will adopt a joint statement on six areas including on the economy and trade following the summit, he told a briefing.

The neighbours had agreed to hold a summit every year starting in 2008 to boost regional co-operation, but the initiative has been disrupted by bilateral feuds and the Covid-19 pandemic. Their last trilateral summit was in late 2019.

The summit comes as South Korea and Japan have been working to improve ties strained by historical disputes while deepening a trilateral security partnership with the United States amid intensifying Sino-US rivalry.

Beijing has previously warned that Washington's efforts to further elevate relations with Seoul and Tokyo could stoke tension and confrontation in the region.

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