Foreign Ministers from Korea, China and Japan gathered in Beijing to voice the need for trilateral cooperation.

In particular, the three Korea-Japan-Japan cooperation, which seems to be aware of the recent trade conflict between Korea and Japan, also expressed its stance that it should not be influenced by bilateral relations.

Mr. Kyong-Hwa Kang, Wang and Chinese Foreign Affairs Commissioner and Chief of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Taro Kono, the Foreign Minister of Japan, formed a consensus on strengthening trilateral cooperation at a meeting between the foreign ministers of China, China and Japan held earlier this month in Beijing's Gubei Shui.

Wang Yi made a gesture of bringing the Korean and Japanese ministers closer together in a commemorative photo shoot of the foreign ministers.

In his remarks, Wang said, "The three nations are inseparable," he said. "Conflict between the three countries should be resolved constructively, dialogue and cooperation should not be affected. Bilateral conflict should not affect trilateral cooperation."

Kang noted that the three countries were prosperous based on free, fair and norm-based multilateral trade, and said they expect cooperation based on these free principles.

Kang emphasized that the direction of trilateral cooperation should be unaffected by the bilateral relations and that the trilateral cooperation should be carried out without shaking.

Mr. Kono says that bilateral relations between the three countries are a stepping stone for trilateral cooperation, and that cooperation should not be stopped despite the difficulties of bilateral relations.

(Photo = Yonhap News)