Chinese Premier Li Qiang and leaders from Japan and South Korea are set to hold their first trilateral summit in almost five years on May 27, 2024. The meeting comes amid increasing tensions between the three countries over various issues, including trade disputes and North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
During a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on May 26, Li urged Japan and South Korea to reject protectionism and uphold globalization. He also promised to expand market access in China to improve the business environment for foreign firms. The leaders are expected to push for greater economic cooperation during the summit, including signing a joint statement on cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, science and technology, people-to-people exchanges, health, and the aging population.
However, tensions between China and South Korea have been high over Beijing's suspected avoidance of fully implementing U.N. sanctions on North Korea and sending clandestine aid shipments to the impoverished country. Japan's coast guard reported that North Korea plans to launch a satellite by early next week, which could be a reference to its push to place its second military spy satellite.
Despite these tensions, experts say just restarting the countries' highest-level annual meeting is a positive sign for cooperation among the three Northeast Asian neighbors. The meeting also comes as China seeks to counteract US efforts to work closely with Tokyo and Seoul in the Asia-Pacific region.
The warning from China against politicizing trade issues before its talks with Japan underscores the complicated nature of relations between these countries. However, experts believe that improving economic ties could help reduce tensions and foster greater cooperation among them.
