Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with the President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda during the fifth Trilateral Summit Meeting in Beijing on May 14.

At the talks, the Chinese President hailed the positive results achieved during the meeting, stressing that trilateral cooperation between China , the RoK and Japan has become an important platform for the three East Asian countries to cement neighbourly friendship and expand common interests.

He also emphasised the necessity for China , Japan and the RoK to unite more closely for self development as well as for shared development.

China highly values its ties with the RoK and Japan , and stands ready to work with the two countries to cement mutual trust and practical cooperation, properly handle existing problems and differences, respect and accommodate each other's major concerns, and promote sustainable and healthy development of its relationship with the two countries, Hu said.

RoK President Lee Myung-bak hailed the summit as an event of great significance as it witnessed the signing of a series of agreements between the three countries on starting the construction of a free trade area and promoting investment.

He expressed hope that the three countries can continuously strengthen exchanges and cooperation in such fields as politics, the economy and culture, and make efforts to promote regional stability and development as well as world economic recovery.

Japan , according to PM Noda, hopes the three nations will take the opportunities secured at the summit to enhance mutual trust, uplift trade and investment cooperation, expand exchanges among people, and make efforts to safeguard regional stability and development.

Both Lee and Noda expressed willingness to work with China to enhance communication and coordination on bilateral cooperation and important regional issues.

Earlier on May 13, the leaders of China , the RoK and Japan issued a Joint Declaration on the Enhancement of the Trilateral Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership.-VNA