The leaders of Japan, South Korea and China agreed Monday to “speed up” negotiations toward the signing of a three-way free trade agreement, according to a joint statement released after a trilateral summit. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang also confirmed that they will work together to strengthen supply chains at their summit in Seoul, the statement said. Talks on a free trade pact between Japan, South Korea and China stalled in early 2020 due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic.