Wang Yi meets ROK foreign minister ahead of trilateral talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Cho Tae-yul in Tokyo, Japan.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is in Tokyo for the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which will be held on March 22.

During their meeting, Wang underlined the importance of drawing insights from history to guide the strategic partnership between China and ROK towards peaceful and stable development.

"This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula. It is a year of special significance for both China and the ROK. History is a textbook from which we can continuously draw inspiration and warnings. It illuminates the path ahead and ensures that the China-ROK strategic partnership can develop in the right direction. Moreover, it enables both China and the ROK to make their respective contributions to the peace and stability of the region and the world," said Wang.

Cho expressed the hope that the meeting would explore ways for the ROK-China relationship to play a constructive role in fostering peace and stability in the region.

"As global geopolitical uncertainty continues to deepen, maintaining strategic dialogue between the ROK and China on the Korean Peninsula issue is highly important. I hope this meeting will also explore ways for the ROK-China relationship to contribute to peace and stability in the region, including the Korean Peninsula," said Cho.

China, Japan and South Korea held the tenth trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Busan, South Korea on November 26, 2023.

Wang Yi meets ROK foreign minister ahead of trilateral talks

Wang Yi meets ROK foreign minister ahead of trilateral talks

Wang Yi meets ROK foreign minister ahead of trilateral talks

Wang Yi meets ROK foreign minister ahead of trilateral talks

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland