On April 8, 2012, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said during the sixth meeting of foreign ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) that as three major countries in East Asia, China, Japan and the ROK shoulder the responsibility of promoting East Asian cooperation and regional development which in turn serves their common interest. As the future of world economy is uncertain, East Asian countries should strengthen cooperation to promote regional economic integration and peace, stability and development in the entire region.

He stressed that it is important to make different cooperation mechanisms in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region develop in parallel and advance pragmatic cooperation step by step. The various mechanisms should complement and promote each other and jointly serve regional peace and development.

He pointed out that East Asian cooperation should focus on the theme of development, pragmatic cooperation on business, finance, connectivity and people's livelihood should be promoted and the sustainable economic and social development in the region should be maintained.