TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here on Wednesday that China, Japan and South Korea should accelerate the negotiations for a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and achieve the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at an early date so as to promote the building of an East Asian Economic Community.

Li made the remarks at a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Tokyo.

China, Japan and South Korea have all benefited from free trade in their respective development and are all advocates of free trade, Li said.

Li stressed that under current circumstances, the three countries should stand together in an even more steadfast manner to safeguard the rule-based multilateral free trade system and take a firm position against acts of trade protectionism and unilateralism.