NINGBO, Zhejiang - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba and his counterpart Kim Sung-hwan of the Republic of Korea(ROK) respectively on Saturday afternoon in Ningbo city of east China's Zhejiang Province.

Foreign Ministers of the three nations gathered in Ningbo for their sixth talks on trilateral cooperation scheduled on Sunday.

During the meeting with Gemba, Yang said the China-Japan friendship is the common will of the people of the two countries.

China will continue to enhance high-level exchanges with Japan, and maintain bilateral communication and coordination on bilateral relations and major issues of common concern, said Yang.

He also called on the two sides to deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation in the fields of economic and trade, finance and energy-saving, and work to make the year of exchanges and friendship a successful one.

Yang noted that the two countries should properly handle sensitive issues in bilateral relations on the basis of universally acknowledged norms governing the international relations and the principle of mutual respect.

He also called on the two sides to increase mutual understanding and friendship, so as to promote the healthy development of bilateral strategic and mutually beneficial relations.

Noting China's development provides opportunities for Japan, Gemba said the Japanese government attaches great importance to the advancement of bilateral ties and hopes to make use of the year of exchanges and friendship to enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

"Japan is willing to strengthen dialogues with China on major regional and international issues," he added.

Yang and Gemba agreed that the upcoming trilateral meeting among leaders of China, Japan and ROK would carry great significance in promoting trilateral cooperation, and the two sides would beef up cooperation to ensure the success of the meeting.

They also exchanged views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula.

During the meeting with Kim, Yang said China will work with the ROK to implement the consensus reached by both leaders at Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, enhance practical cooperation and ensure the success of the year of China-ROK friendly exchanges.

Kim praised the fruitful cooperation between the two countries, hoping the two sides will take the opportunity of the forge of 20th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the year of China-ROK friendly exchanges to expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

He also suggested that foreign ministries of the two nations should enhance dialogue and consultation, so as to advance bilateral ties.

Yang and Kim agreed to make joint efforts to ensure the success of the upcoming trilateral meeting among leaders of China, Japan and ROK.

They also exchanged views on the situation of the Korean Peninsula.