Three neighbors show shared intent

The ninth China-Japan-Republic of Korea foreign ministers' meeting was an inspiring sign that the three Northeast Asian neighbors share a common will to maintain regional stability.

That the meeting materialized while Tokyo and Seoul are embroiled in a fierce trade standoff indicates neither wants their current spat to get in the way of joint endeavors to sustain the region's growth momentum. The broad consensus among the three countries came as a timely boost to the otherwise dimming prospects of trilateral cooperation.

If, as the foreign ministers agreed, the three countries can work together to facilitate completion of the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and hold a successful summit of the leaders of the three countries by the year's end, that would be remarkable progress.