国内英语新闻：Japan, China, S Korea agree to strengthen co-op

TOKYO, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea agreed here Saturday to strengthen trilateral cooperation for better political, economic and cultural relations.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung Hwan reached the agreement at the second trilateral meeting of foreign ministers from the three countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (L), Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (C) and South Korean foreign and trade minister Yu Myung-Hwan shake hand prior to their meeting in Tokyo, Japan, June 14, 2008.

Yang said the meeting was held when the trilateral cooperation is showing bright prospect. "The trilateral cooperation is facing new opportunities and is standing at a threshold," Yang told his counterparts during the meeting held later in the afternoon.

    "Further development of the trilateral cooperation is in line with the expectation of the three peoples and is conducive to peaceful development of the three countries and the region," Yang said.

    He called for cherishing of the opportunities to actively push forward the trilateral cooperation toward the direction of peaceful coexistence, comprehensive cooperation, mutual benefit and common development.

    Yang called on the three sides to keep their respective political promises, improve understanding and trust in each others, expand logistical and financial cooperation as well as social and cultural exchanges and deepen communications on regional cooperation and significant international and local issues so as to further improve the mechanism of trilateral cooperation.

Japanese foreign minister Masahiko Komura (C) speaks during a joint press conference with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi(L), South Korean foreign and trade minister Yu Myung-Hwan after the tripartite China-Japan-South Korea Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on June 14, 2008.

    The three ministers agreed that the trilateral cooperation is very important for peace, stability and prosperity of Asia. They agreed to carry out new cooperation on disaster relief.

    The three ministers agreed to keep regular communications between leaders and foreign ministers of the three countries and scheduled a meeting of heads of government of the three countries in Japan in September.

    The three ministers also agreed to strengthen cooperation on promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, combating climate change, environment protection, food and energy safety, assistance to African development and the United Nations' reform.

    Komura and Yu wished the Beijing Olympics a great success.