China, Japan and South Korea signed on Tuesday a historical document to promote their tripartite cooperation in regional and international affairs in the new century.

　　The document, Joint Declaration on the Promotion of Tripartite Cooperation among the People's Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, was signed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.

　　"We were convinced that advancing and deepening the tripartite cooperation will not only serve to further promote the stable development of bilateral relations," but also contribute to peace,stability and prosperity throughout East Asia, the document said.

　　Wen, Koizumi and Roh also held the fifth meeting of the Chinese,Japanese and South Korean leaders, a mechanism to discuss cooperation among the three East Asian countries and to deal with their relations with ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN is holding its ninth summit here on Oct. 7-8..

　　During the three-nation meeting, Wen proposed that a "Tripartite Committee" of China, Japan and South Korea be established as soon as possible, and that the establishment of a China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area be further studied.

　　Wen said that a good and solid foundation has been laid for China, Japan and South Korea to further boost their cooperation.

　　He listed areas of increasing cooperation, including trade, information industry, environmental protection, human resources and culture. He also mentioned their cooperation in preventing andtreating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which opened a new cooperation area -- public health.

　　Speaking after the meeting, Wen described the joint declarationas a document of great importance in the history of Northeast Asian cooperation and of the relations between the three countries.

　　It marks that the cooperation between the three has entered a new stage, Wen stressed.

　　He said China will implement what were agreed upon at this meeting according to the joint declaration of the three countries.

　　"I hope when we meet again next year, the tripartite cooperation will achieve new development," he said.

　　Wen made four-point proposal for future cooperation between thethree:

　　-- Establishing a "Tripartite Committee" as early as possible to coordinate and plan the tripartite cooperation according to thedeclaration. The level and composition of the committee can be discussed at the working group level;

　　-- Continuing to study the issue of establishing a China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area (FTA). The Chinese side supports research institutions of the three countries to start studying thethree-nation FTA's possible influence on industry;

　　-- Deepening cooperation between relevant departments of the three countries. China hopes that a cooperation mechanism in the area of exchange and distribution, particularly logistic distribution, will be established as soon as possible, and that the three countries will further discuss the establishment of a cooperation mechanism on quality supervision and inspection and quarantine, gradually expand facilitation measures for promoting trade between them, and support the media organizations of the three countries to increase cooperation; and

　　-- Holding a seminar in China next year on China's "Revitalizing the Northeast" and Northeast Asian cooperation. Chinahas begun to implement the strategy of "Revitalizing the Northeast," which will provide a new opportunity for cooperation between thethree countries. China welcomes governmental departments and people from all walks of life of Japan and South Korea to attend the seminar.