Japan, China, S. Korea agree to wrap up investment pact talks soon

SEOUL, May 23 Kyodo -
Trade ministers from Japan, China and South Korea agreed Sunday to complete
negotiations for a trilateral investment treaty over the next few months and
reach a final agreement by the end of the year.
In a joint statement released after their one-day meeting, Japanese Economy,
Trade and Industry Minister Masayuki Naoshima, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen
Deming and South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong Hoon welcomed recent progress
on the investment pact.
They also expressed satisfaction with a recently agreed framework to conduct a
joint study on a possible free trade agreement among the three Asian economic
powerhouses. The study will involve representatives of industry, government and
academia.
Sunday's ministerial meeting took place ahead of a trilateral summit in South
Korea scheduled to be held for two days starting next Saturday.
In his bilateral meeting with the South Korean minister, Naoshima called for
the resumption of talks on an FTA between Tokyo and Seoul. Kim was quoted as
reacting favorably.
==Kyodo
2010-05-23 21:08:54