Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan on Sunday urged China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to improve cooperation on environmental protection to promote sustainable development of the region.

The Chinese government supports the three countries to cooperate on the environmental issues including curbing cross-border transfer of dangerous waste, sand storm early warning and air pollution control, Zeng said in a letter addressed to the three countries' environmental ministers, who are in Beijing for a regular meeting.

Zeng said environmental protection and sustainable development of China, Japan and the ROK is of great importance to the future development of east Asia.

He also expressed hope that the ongoing cooperation among the three countries on researches of northeast Asia environmental management will produce fruitful results.

The ministerial meeting on the environmental protection started seven years ago with the purpose of implementing trilateral environmental cooperation, handling common environmental challenges and promoting regional sustainable development.

Chinese Minister of Environmental Protection Zhou Shengxian, Japanese Environment Minister Wakabayashi Masatoshi and ROK Minister of Environment Lee Chi Beom attended the two-day meeting, which started Saturday.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2006)