BEIJING - China appreciates Japan's efforts to promote cooperation between China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) as Japan holds to its plan to host the China-Japan-ROK Leaders Meeting despite the March 11 earthquake, a Chinese official said Wednesday.

The fourth China-Japan-ROK Leaders Meeting is scheduled for May 21 to 22 in Tokyo. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend the summit.

As this year's coordinator of cooperation among China, Japan and the ROK, Japan has overcome a lot of difficulties since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami to hold meetings of foreign ministers and trade ministers of the three countries, and has kept its promise to hold the leaders' meeting as scheduled, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue said at a news briefing.

"We are willing to make efforts with Japan and the ROK to ensure that the meeting will be a success," Hu said.

Japan hosted trilateral meetings for foreign ministers and trade ministers on March 19 and April 24, respectively.

The 9.0-magnitude earthquake in Japan claimed 15,057 lives as of last Sunday, with another 9,121 people remaining missing, according to the Japanese government.