Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak began a tripartite meeting in Japan on Saturday to promote cooperation.

They are expected to discuss trilateral ties, the ongoing global financial crisis and other issues of common concern.

Before the meeting, Wen met Lee and Aso respectively, and discussed bilateral relations with them.

They are about to issue a joint statement on tripartite partnership relations after the meeting.

The three leaders will also hold a joint press conference and meet representatives of youth of the three countries.

The last tripartite meeting, attended by Wen, then Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, and then South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, was held in Singapore on November 20, 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2008)