The leaders of Japan, China and South Korea agreed to accelerate negotiations on a free trade agreement involving the three countries.

The trilateral summit meeting took place in Seoul, South Korea on May 27 for the first time in about four years.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol exchanged ideas about economic cooperation and interactions between the people of their countries.

During the talks, they agreed to continue discussions to accelerate negotiations towards the realization of a free, fair and high-quality reciprocal free trade agreement among the three countries.

They aim to promote university exchange programs by the end of 2030, designate the two years from next year as the Japan-China-South Korea Cultural Exchange Year and attain people-to-people exchanges involving 40 million people through activities such as tourism.

As for heightened tensions involving North Korea that announced a planned satellite launch, the three leaders only said that they “will continue to make positive efforts for a political solution to the Korean Peninsula issue.”