Secretary General of the Secretariat for Cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea: Expanding the Cake of Common Interest Cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea | Qingdao | Secretary General
The 2023 China Japan South Korea Cooperation International Forum will be held in Qingdao soon. This is an important platform for experts, scholars, former political figures, and senior diplomatic officials dedicated to cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea to summarize the past and look forward to the future. This forum is held offline for the first time since 2020, and it is also the first time in four years that it has been held in China. Currently, the world's unprecedented major changes are accelerating, and cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea can play a greater role in maintaining long-term stability and achieving common development in the region.
The cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea was born during times of crisis and grew in the process of turning danger into opportunity. 24 years ago, trilateral cooperation began in the cold wave of the Asian financial crisis, and has steadily advanced through complex changes in the international and regional situation. It has formed a comprehensive cooperation system with the leadership meeting as the core, 21 ministerial level meetings as the main body, and more than 70 dialogue mechanisms as support. Practical cooperation covers more than 30 fields such as economy and trade, logistics, cultural and sports, education, environment, science and technology, and health. 14 years ago, the three governments further strengthened cooperation to jointly respond to the international financial crisis and decided to establish a permanent secretariat, marking a new height in cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea.
Over the past year, the Secretariat of China Japan South Korea Cooperation has seized the direction amidst instability and uncertainty, actively assisting in the post epidemic recovery of the region. One is to promote policy communication and lead the establishment of the "China Japan South Korea Outlook Group" composed of knowledgeable individuals from the three countries, to build a platform for frank exchanges among the three countries. The second is to advocate for openness and win-win cooperation, hold the "Three Kingdoms Entrepreneurs Forum" and other initiatives to help implement regional comprehensive economic partnership agreements, maintain the resilience of industrial and supply chains, and maintain the integrity of the international division of labor system. The third is to promote people to people communication, inviting cultural, online celebrities, and media figures to visit representative cities of the "East Asian Cultural Capital", and making face-to-face exchanges lively and colorful. The fourth is to focus on the "Generation Z" youth group, establish a "China Japan South Korea Youth Exchange Network", work together with the youth of the three countries to shape a better future, and promote the development of future oriented cooperation among the three countries from a long-term perspective.
China, Japan, and South Korea are important members of the international community. Cooperation among the three countries is not only crucial for maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, but also of great significance for the prosperity and development of Asia and even the world. The current international situation is complex and profound, and cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea is also facing new challenges. The more we face challenges, the more we must remain confident and face challenges head-on. China, Japan, and South Korea should adhere to the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win, solidly promote pragmatic cooperation among the three countries, create a common market, enhance community awareness, continuously enhance lasting peace, universal prosperity, and common culture in the region, and make positive contributions to the peaceful development of the region and the world.
To expand cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea in the new era, firstly, we must respect each other's core interests and major concerns, enhance political mutual trust, and maintain the overall cooperation. The second is to expand the cake of common interests, strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, blue economy, and green economy, work together to fulfill common international commitments such as carbon neutrality, and jointly address common challenges such as an aging society. Thirdly, the current and future period should focus on strengthening cultural and cultural cooperation, making good use of brands such as "East Asian Cultural Capital" and "Asian Campus", striving to enhance mutual understanding, especially creating more opportunities for young people from the three countries to deepen mutual understanding, focusing on the future, cultivating friendship, and laying a public opinion foundation for the sustainable development of trilateral cooperation.
