Top China, Japan, South Korea diplomats to hold talks on setting stage for leaders’ summit

Wang Yi, Yoko Kamikawa and Park Jin will also exchange views on cooperation for various regional and international situations during their meeting in Busan

South Korea has been working to resume the talks among the three leaders despite Seoul and Tokyo moving closer to the US

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands on the sidelines of the Apec summit in San Francisco on November 16. Photo: Kyodo News via AP

Published: 1:30pm, 24 Nov 2023

The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea plan to meet this weekend to help revive three-way leaders’ summits of the Asian powerhouses that have been on hold since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and political rancour.

The talks to prepare for the summit will be held on Sunday in the South Korean city of Busan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul said in a statement, adding the officials would exchange views on the direction of developments and cooperation for various regional and international situations.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will also hold separate bilateral meetings with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

South Korea has been working to resume the talks among the three, which could be held by the end of this year or early in 2024. China has found itself under pressure as neighbours Japan and South Korea move closer to Washington. Beijing’s own regional diplomatic outreach has had limited success, particularly as military tensions increase with Taiwan.

Seoul and Tokyo have worked with Washington to bolster joint military drills and information sharing to better align their defences from provocations from the likes of North Korea.