Summit will enhance regional cooperation

The China-Japan-South Korea Summit will be held in Fukuoka, Japan on Saturday. It will symbolize the official initiation of the strategic cooperation framework between the three countries and the upgrading of East Asia's regional strategic cooperation.

The 10+3 (ASEAN + Sino-Japan-South Korea) framework was formed at the ASEAN Summit in 1997. In 1999, within the 10+3 framework, the trilateral summit was initiated, and has played a positive role in promoting regional cooperation.

On China's part, after conclusion of negotiations for entry to the WTO in 2001, the country immediately started talks with ASEAN on constructing a Free Trade Area (FTA). Through the Early Harvest Plan of 2004, their bilateral relationship improved rapidly and has become the main force of promoting regional cooperation.