The Preparatory Conference for Joint Research on China-Japan-Korea FTA was held in Seoul, Korea, on January 26th. The preparatory conference discussed the issues such as terms of reference (TOR), work plan, fields of research, and decided initially to hold the first session of joint research conference in Seoul, Korea, in April.

In 2002, the leaders of China, Japan and Korea agreed to carry out the non-governmental academic research on China-Japan-Korea FTA. From 2003 to 2009, the research institutions of the three nations made comprehensive and in-depth analysis and research about the feasibility on establishing China-Japan-Korea FTA, and arrived at a positive conclusion that the FTA can remove trade barriers, expand regional market, advance economic amalgamation, and realize the win-win situation of the three nations.

On the Second meeting of leaders of China-Japan-ROK in October of 2009, a consensus reached on initiating the joint research by Government，Enterprises，Universities on China-Japan-Korea FTA. In October of the same year, a Joint Statement was proposed at the Sixth China-Japan-ROK Trade Ministers’Conference that the three nations will launch joint research by Government，Enterprises，Universities on China-Japan-Korea FTA in the first half of 2010, before the Third meeting of leaders of China-Japan-ROK.