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China, South Korea, Japan release blueprint for 2020

By Zhang Jin (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-05-30 08:34

Jeju, South Korea – China, South Korea and Japan aim to finish a joint study on free-trade area (FTA) before 2012, as the East Asian trio released a blueprint of their cooperation in the coming next decade.

In a statement released on Saturday in Jeju, South Korea, the three nations wished the joint study, which was launched earlier this month, could provide practical reference to the talks on establishing a FTA grouping China, South Korea and Japan.

The blueprint was released during the first day of the Trilateral Summit that brings together Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. The summit will conclude on Sunday.

Three leaders pledged to:

*set up a secretariat in South Korea to coordinate the cooperation;

*discuss the possibility to launch a defense consultation mechanism among the three countries;

*enhance cooperation in environment and climate change; and

*push forward the Doha Round of trade talks;

In the statement, three leaders also said a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is in the interest of Northeast Asia.

It is conducive to the "lasting peace, security and economic prosperity" of Northeast Asia, it said.

The three nations will "continue our effort" to realize the goal through Six-Party Talks, the statement said.