The 4th Korea-China-Japan Senior Foreign Officials’ Meeting was held in Beijing, China, on February 1,with Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Yong-joon, China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue and Japan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae in attendance.

The meeting consisted of a review of the implementation status of key agreements reached at the 2nd Korea-China-Japan Summit in Beijing in October 2009; discussions on ongoing preparations for the 3rd Korea-China-Japan Summit to be held in Korea this year and other developments in trilateral cooperation; and an exchange of views on key regional situations, including that of the Korean peninsula, and on international issues.

The three countries noted with satisfaction that implementation of the agreements reached at the 1st and 2nd Korea-China-Japan Summits, including a joint feasibility study on a trilateral FTA by the governments, industries and academia, is well under way overall.

The three sides agreed to hold a tripartite meeting among the Foreign Ministers and another among senior officials for close consultations in preparation of the upcoming 3rd Korea-China-Japan Summit, which Korea chairs this year.

In terms of key regional and international issues, views were exchanged with regard to the envisioned successful hosting of the G20 Summit; the recent situation on the Korean peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue; and efforts toward the reconstruction and recovery from damages in Haiti.

The three countries agreed to establish a trilateral-cooperation secretariat by drawing upon a common recognition the Korea-China-Japan leaders shared at their second summit last year, and undertake preparatory work in a full-fledged manner.