Senior foreign affairs officials of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) held a first-ever consultation in Beijing on May 19.

The three sides reviewed the trilateral cooperation on economy and trade, energy, environment, science and technology and discussed the future development of cooperation among them.

They also exchanged views on the security of northeast Asia, east Asia cooperation and other regional and international issues of common concern.

Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Cui Tiankai, Japanese Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mitoji Yabunaka and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of ROK Shim Yoon-jo attended the consultation.

The consultation is part of a consensus reached last January at the seventh trilateral leaders' meeting of China, Japan and ROK when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders from Japan and ROK agreed to establish a mechanism of regular consultations among senior foreign affairs officials of the three countries.