The Nihon Keizai Shinbun reported on Sept. 28, that Korea, China and Japan will publicize a long term Free Trade Agreement (FTA) joint statement next month which contains details on the promotion for economic solidarity, tightening the union between the 3 countries to settle the North Korean nuclear weapon matter. 
The newspaper reported that the 3 countries will have a summit meeting additionally from the ‘ASEAN + Korea-China-Japan’ summit conference to be held in Bali, Indonesia, starting from Oct. 7. 
China is active in concluding the FTA with priority to mutually removing tariff and asserts that Korea and Japan were gauged for the 3-nation joint statement during the agreement of practical affairs. Purpose for China’s attitude seems to secure the leading part of Eastern Asia by using the leverage action of inclusively tightening relations with Korea and Japan. 
The relation with North Korea’s nuclear weapon matter in the 3-nation joint statement includes the standpoint of backing denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. 
In addition, matters such as the need for a 6-nation talk about the North Korea issue as soon as possible, explication of the Japanese abduction and other matters will be dealt on the joint statement. 
Source written by reporter Seung-il Go, from Yonhap News Agency, Sept. 28, 2003.