China supports holding trilateral summit with S. Korea, Japan within year: spokesperson

BEIJING, March 20 (Yonhap) -- China supports holding a trilateral summit with South Korea and Japan within this year, Beijing's foreign ministry said Monday, raising prospects of the resumption of three-way summit diplomacy following a recent thaw in long-strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo.

"China has consistently and actively participated in trilateral cooperation among the three countries," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a regular press briefing when asked of the possibility of a trilateral summit within the year.

He added China "supports South Korea's proposal for a summit" between the three countries, and that Beijing hopes to "communicate and coordinate" with South Korea and Japan on the matter.

Wang also said the three countries "should work together to ensure stable and sustainable development of trilateral cooperation, and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity."

Three-way summits among the regional neighbors, first held in December 2008, were suspended after the eighth gathering held in December 2019 following a dispute between South Korea and Japan over forced labor compensation rulings and the pandemic.

Talks on the need to revive tripartite summit diplomacy have surfaced following a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week.

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