Trilateral talks not aimed at China: US official

BEIJING - The first trilateral dialogue held by the United States, Japan and India was not aimed at containing China, a US official said as the three countries pledged to deepen ties.

The meeting, an assistant-secretary level assembly co-chaired by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, was held in Washington on Monday, bringing the three countries together for the first time to discuss "a wide range" of regional and global issues of mutual interest, according to a news release from the Indian embassy.

"These discussions mark the beginning of a series of consultations among our three governments, who share common values and interests across the Asia-Pacific and the globe," the US State Department said in statement posted on its website.