State Councilor says China will work with ROK and Japan on leaders' consensus

State Councilor Yang Jiechi said China is ready to work with the Republic of Korea and Japan to effectively implement the consensus reached through the leaders' meeting and uphold the idea of "facing squarely to the history and looking to the future".

Yang made the remarks on Thursday when meeting with guests scheduled to attend the first China-Japan-ROK Public Diplomacy Forum and the 2016 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation in Beijing on Friday.

The guests meeting with Yang included Goh Kun, former ROK prime minister and Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's General Council.

The three countries should strengthen political mutual trust, properly tackle sensitive issues, including the history issue, reinforce economic and trade cooperation, boost economic integration, and expand cultural exchanges, Yang said.

All three countries are expected to push for the healthy, stable and sustainable development of trilateral cooperation and "make greater contribution to the rejuvenation of all of Asia", Yang said.

Goh and Nikai said the Friday forum will facilitate exchanges and cooperation among the three countries.

They said the economies of the three countries are closely connected, their cultures are linked, and they are ready to work along with China to achieve further development of the trilateral relationship.

Yang said the trilateral relationship is "of great significance to the peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and around the globe".

Last year, the trilateral leaders' meeting mechanism was restarted following a stall of more than three years, which Yang said symbolized that the trilateral cooperation has regained its momentum.