The premiers of China and Japan arrived in Seoul Sunday for their first trilateral summit in five years, focusing on economic issues over sensitive geopolitics.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet separately with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in the South Korean capital.
The three leaders will hold a trilateral meeting on Monday, the first in five years, to improve ties and cooperation.
Yoon, in office since 2022, aims to improve relations with Japan amidst rising threats from North Korea.
Kishida sees the meeting as highly significant, hoping for successful diplomacy among the three nations.
Expert signals challenges due to divergent views, but cooperation is key for regional security and trade.
The summit will focus on economic cooperation rather than security issues amidst North Korea’s threats.
Experts anticipate diplomatic wins and common ground among the three nations, focusing on cooperation.
Difficult security issues are expected to be sidelined for the summit, with greater emphasis on economic collaboration.
Seoul and Tokyo may face disputes over business ownership and trade issues, but cooperation remains essential.
The summit aims for incremental progress and functional cooperation in Northeast Asia.
Trilateral coordination is seen as positive for a rules-based regional order, despite challenges in cooperation.
Yoon and Kishida aim to balance trilateral cooperation without compromising on key issues.
