Hu to join three-party summit in Beijing
Published: 09 Oct. 2009, 20:30
After the last-minute decision by Chinese President Hu Jintao to join the discussion, the trilateral summit in Beijing today may solidify the determination of South Korea, Japan and China to rid North Korea of its nuclear arms program.
China’s Premier Wen Jiabao was initially set to represent the nation at the summit this morning, but Hu decided to join in, the Blue House said.
President Lee Myung-bak, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Hu will sit down for a 30-minute meeting this evening. A dinner hosted by Hu was also added to the itinerary.
“Because the trilateral summit is an important event, President Hu’s meeting with the Korean and Japanese leaders was decided only late Thursday,” a senior Blue House official said. The trilateral summit is an annual event, but this year’s meeting takes place at a particularly sensitive time. Wen met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during his visit to Pyongyang earlier this week and will personally brief Lee and Hatoyama about the outcome of that trip this morning.
Shortly after a bilateral summit in Seoul, Lee and Hatoyama separately left for Beijing. “The leaders of the three nations will hold a joint press conference following their meetings, and a joint agreement may be announced,” another Blue House official said.
Japan’s Asahi Shimbun reported yesterday that the three nations will adopt a joint declaration in which they pledge their efforts to build the East Asian community. The three countries will acknowledge past problems and expand their cooperation for the future, the Japanese newspaper reported. As Japan’s new leader, Hatoyama has openly expressed his determination to build trust with his country’s Asian neighbors, whose relations with Tokyo have often been rocky due to the country’s military history.
Ahead of his departure to Beijing, President Lee had an interview with China’s People’s Daily, the organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and emphasized the importance of the six-nation talks to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula. “I appreciate what China has done until now as the host of the six-party talks, and I urge Beijing to play a even more constructive role in resolving the nuclear arms program,” Lee was quoted as saying. Lee emphasized the need to bolster Korea-China ties to tackle international issues such as the G-20, climate change and green growth.
By Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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