(27 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Seoul – 27 May 2024
1. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida standing alongside South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang during joint news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister:
“On the international situation in the region, I first stated that, in response to North Korea’s notification of the launch of a satellite, if the launch takes place, it would be in breach of UN Security Council resolutions and I strongly called for a halt to the launch.”
3. Wide of Kishida speaking
4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister:
“I then reaffirmed that the stability of the Korean Peninsula, including the denuclearisation of North Korea, is a common interest of the three countries.”
5. Journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister:
“In regards to economic issues, we pointed out the importance of maintaining and strengthening a free and fair international economic order. I expressed a wish for a frank exchange of views on the forward-looking Japan-China-South Korea FTA (free trade agreement), including high-level order, aiming for an RCEP (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) – plus agreement between the three countries, which have deep ties in both trade and investment.”
7. Wide of leaders onstage
STORYLINE:
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged North Korea to halt its plan to launch a spy satellite following its notification on Monday.
The announcement from North Korea came as Kishida met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Seoul for their first trilateral meeting in more than four years.
“I then reaffirmed that the stability of the Korean Peninsula, including the denuclearisation of North Korea, is a common interest of the three countries,” said Kishida during a joint press announcement following the trilateral meeting in Seoul.
Leaders of South Korea, China and Japan met on Monday for their trilateral meeting as they seek to improve long-complicated relations that are key to regional peace.
Many experts say just restarting the countries’ highest-level annual meeting and sharing a need to improve ties is a positive sign for cooperation among the three Northeast Asian neighbours, as the global economy suffers from wars, uncertainty and instabilities around the world.
But how drastically their cooperation would be promoted is unknown as the three countries have a range of complex issues.
In the joint news conference, the three leaders said they agreed on the need to bolster their cooperation.
Kishida stressed the importance of maintaining and strengthening free and fair international economic order, and proposed candid discussion about a “forward-looking” trilateral free trade agreement, while seeking something of “RCEP plus” (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) for the three countries.
On the eve of the meeting, Yoon, Li and Kishida had rounds of bilateral meetings among themselves to discuss how to boost economic and other cooperation.
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