Chinese premier arrives in Seoul for three-way summit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, is greeted by Chinese embassy officials upon his arrival at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015. Li will attend a trilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye. AP

SEOUL, South Korea — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has arrived in Seoul for a three-way summit with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe aimed at repairing relations strained from historical and territorial issues.

READ: Seoul, Tokyo bickering days before 3-way summit with China

Park and Li were set to hold a separate meeting on Saturday with a likely focus on trade issues between the close economic partners. Analysts said Li might also seek some sort of assurance from Park that Seoul will keep a neutral stance over the recent flare-up between Washington and Beijing in the South China Sea.

READ: China faces mounting pressure over maritime claims

Sunday’s trilateral summit will be the first between the countries since 2012. The meetings were shelved after Japan’s political ties with its two neighbors deteriorated over disputes stemming from its wartime aggression and territorial claims.