China's Wen calls for speeding up work toward trilateral FTA+

BEIJING, May 12 Kyodo -
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called Wednesday for speeding up work among Japan,
China and South Korea toward the signing of a trilateral free trade agreement,
a move that policymakers and economists believe will spur economic growth in
East Asia.
''Through regular summits of China, Japan and South Korea, I expect (the three
countries) to speed up this process,'' Wen told a delegation of the Japan
Business Federation, or Nippon Keidanren, during talks in Beijing, according to
a Keidanren official.
''China, Japan and South Korea play a key role in the process of East Asian
economic integration. To do that, it is important (for the three neighbors) to
promote work toward the signing (of a deal),'' Wen was quoted as telling the
delegation led by Keidanren Chairman Fujio Mitarai.
Wen said the three countries should promote cooperation in areas such as
environmental protection, energy-saving and emissions reduction, the official
said.
''Japan possesses advanced technology and experience in these areas. China
wants to learn from such technology and experience,'' Wen was quoted as saying.
His comments suggest Wen, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South
Korean President Lee Myung Bak are likely to discuss an envisaged trilateral
FTA when they hold a summit in late May in South Korea.
In early May, the three countries began a joint study involving industry,
government and academia as a step toward starting government-level negotiations
for concluding a trilateral FTA, which would pave the way for creating an
''East Asian community,'' a concept advocated by Hatoyama.
In a meeting between Keidanren, an influential business lobby in Japan, and
Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming earlier Wednesday, Mitarai, chairman of
Canon Inc., said Tokyo and Beijing ''need a bilateral FTA and a trilateral FTA
with South Korea,'' according to the Keidanren official.
Chen was quoted as saying China will ''actively explore the possibility of
forming an FTA with Japan and a trilateral FTA with South Korea,'' given the
slow pace of recovery in the U.S. and European economies.
The delegation, which is on a five-day visit to China from Tuesday, had a
breakfast meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
On Tuesday, the delegation met Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of China's National
Development and Reform Commission, and the two sides agreed Japan and China
should strengthen cooperation in the energy-saving and environmental fields.
Mitarai was quoted as saying Japanese industry is considering increasing
energy-saving and environmental technology cooperation with China, citing the
value of output in the energy-saving and environmental sector in China would
total 2.8 trillion yuan, about 38 trillion yen, in 2012.
Xie said China wants to deepen tie-ups with Japan on the creation, for example,
of environmentally friendly model cities.
The delegation includes Hiromasa Yonekura, chairman of Sumitomo Chemical Co.
who will succeed Mitarai as Keidanren chief in late May, Yoji Ohashi, chairman
of All Nippon Airways Co., and Shoei Utsuda, chairman of Mitsui & Co.
==Kyodo
2010-05-12 22:49:06


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