Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun on Tuesday underscored efforts among South Korea, China and Japan to further cement the trilateral cooperation, calling it a vital framework for the development of the three-way relationship despite many “difficulties.”
Kang made the point at a forum, stressing that the solid cooperation framework has played a key role in steadily enhancing the collaboration for the past years, even though the three Asian neighbors have not always been on the same page in terms of regional and global issues.
“We may all know and agree to the importance of the three-way cooperation, but the path for our future cooperation may not always be smooth,” Kang said in a speech at a forum hosted by the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, a Seoul-based organization launched in 2011 to promote cooperation among South Korea, Japan and China.
“North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and provocations are continuing, and we still have tasks at the global level, such as supply chain instability and other security issues around the world,” Kang said.
“As much difficulties as we face, the Korea-Japan-China cooperation is important … The South Korean government will make efforts to further solidify the future of the three countries’ cooperation as we work to further build on this positive momentum,” she said.
Tuesday’s forum was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the trilateral cooperation mechanism. It also came after South Korea hosted Japan and China for a trilateral summit in Seoul late last month after more than a four-year hiatus.
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming, also present at the forum, said the roles of the three nations have increasingly become important at a time when “unilateralism and protectionism are rampant.”
“We must implement the important agreements of the summit, maintain the initial intention of cooperation without losing it, adhere to openness and inclusiveness … and promote trilateral cooperation together … (for) the prosperity and stability of the region,” Xing said.
Xing also called for collaboration in advanced science and technologies, such as sharing artificial intelligence (AI) technology so as to “benefit” the three countries and build a “fair and universal” AI governance system.
Koichi Mizushima, Japan’s top envoy to Seoul, took note of the “big potential” in the three-way cooperation with South Korea and China, saying that his country, as the next rotating chair for the trilateral summit, will work with Seoul and Beijing to prepare for the upcoming gathering.
