Japan hails China over its plan on ASEAN-3 summit

Japan hails China over its plan on ASEAN-3 summit

SINGAPORE (AFP): Japan expressed surprise for China's support for institutionalizing the three-way gathering of East Asian leaders which also involved South Korea and Japan. Tokyo has been pushing the idea since last year, and Beijing's backing came on Wednesday, two days before the ASEAN-plus-three summit

"Originally China was not keen. We welcome Beijing decision," a senior Japanese official told AFP at the sidelines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Chinese, Japanese and Korean officials met early on Wednesday to finalize preparations for their leaders meeting.

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and South Korean President Kim Dae Jung will meet early Friday, ahead of the dialogue with the ASEAN heads of state, he said.

Korea would host the hour long breakfast meeting, he said, adding that China hosted last year's gathering.

The official said China last year opposed the use of "meeting" but preferred the word "gathering" fearing a meeting would imply a fixed agenda and that could have an adverse impact on its ties with North Korea.

"Japan's Mori favors this meeting. Japan wants it to be an annual affair as it will allow the leaders to indulge in frank discussion and build confidence," he said.

In Beijing, a senior Chinese official said on Wednesday said China wants to raise the profile of a three-way meeting with Japan and South Korea at ASEAN with its plans for an Asian monetary fund on the agenda.

The three major East Asian powers, all non-ASEAN members but considered ASEAN dialog partners, are also expected to touch on security issues and a range of problems related to the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

"China, Japan and South Korea are very important countries in Asia and make up some 80 percent of the GDP of the total region, so it is a good idea at these multilateral meetings to have a meeting between us," a senior Chinese foreign affairs official told journalists.

"China supports the informal trilateral meeting and we have some suggestions about institutionalizing the meeting that will be on the agenda when the officials meet and which we believe will elicit a positive response," the official, in charge of Asian Affairs, said.

During the meeting it was expected that Zhu would push forward China's agenda on establishing an Asian monetary fund and seeking an agreement on allowing China, Japan and South Korea to participate in an ASEAN currency exchange mechanism.