The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan will meet in the Chinese city of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province next Saturday to discuss key regional and international issues.

Japan’s chief nuclear negotiator Shinsuke Sugiyama told reporters of the planned meeting after holding talks with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei in Tokyo on Thursday.

Sugiyama said he and Wu shared concerns over North Korea’s plan to launch a long-range rocket and agreed to boost bilateral cooperation to address the situation.

During next Saturday’s trilateral meeting, the foreign ministers are expected to prepare for a trilateral summit meeting of their nation's leaders in May. The foreign ministers will also discuss ways to expand trade and economic cooperation among their countries through the adoption of free trade agreements.