Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday to discuss bilateral relations and other issues of common concern.

The two leaders are in Japan's Fukuoka to attend a trilateral meeting of the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea to discuss relations, the ongoing financial crisis and other issues.

The Chinese premier said the tripartite meeting is very important in that it would establish a mechanism of regular trilateral meetings and build new cooperative partnership relations among them.

Wen said it was of great significance for the three leaders to discuss how China, Japan and South Korea can work together to overcome difficulties at a critical time in wrestling with the global financial crisis.

The three countries respectively signed bilateral agreements on currency exchange on Friday, displaying readiness for further cooperation in the face of the global financial crisis, Wen said.

The agreements would boost confidence among the public and help the three countries tide over the difficulties, he added.

After their meeting, the leaders are expected to issue a joint statement on the tripartite partnership relations.

The leaders will then give a joint press conference and meet representatives of youths and children from the three countries.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2008)