China, Japan, SK hold 12th FTA talks

Source: Xinhua | 2017-04-14

TOP negotiators from China, Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo yesterday on pushing forward trade in goods and services as well as investment at the 12th round of talks on a trilateral free trade agreement.

Wang Shouwen, Chinese vice minister of commerce, said at the meeting that while the global economy is facing a slowdown and an uncertain future, and world trade and investment are facing impediments, China’s economic growth in the past decade underscores the fact that global trade has played and will continue to play a key role in driving the world economy.

Wang said that if China, Japan and South Korea could make substantial headway in the FTA talks, it will send a positive signal to the world on anti-protectionism and safeguarding economic globalization. The experiences gained from the talks on the trilateral FTA will also contribute to the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Wang said.

Keiichi Katakami, Japan’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, and Lee Sang-jin, South Korea’s assistant minister of trade, industry and energy, attended the meeting.

The trilateral talks on the FTA, launched in November 2012, were aimed at forging a comprehensive, high-level and mutually beneficial free trade agreement.