Regularization of Korea-Japan-China Summit Meetings... "Continued Positive Efforts for Political Resolution of Korean Peninsula Issues"

Resumption of Korea-Japan-China Summit Meeting in Seoul
"Continued Discussions to Accelerate Trilateral FTA Negotiations"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the joint press conference of the 9th Korea-Japan-China Summit held at the Blue House's Yeongbingwan on the 27th. From left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President Yoon, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The leaders of Korea, Japan, and China adopted a joint declaration at the 9th Korea-Japan-China Summit held in Seoul on the 27th, agreeing to regularize the trilateral summit meetings once again.

They also reached a consensus to continue discussions to accelerate negotiations on a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and reaffirmed that peace, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia are common interests and responsibilities.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang held the trilateral summit at the Blue House State Guesthouse and announced the joint declaration.

The joint declaration includes expanding future-oriented, practical cooperation that the citizens of the three countries can feel in six key areas closely related to daily life: ▲person-to-person exchanges ▲sustainable development through climate change response ▲economy and trade ▲health and aging ▲science, technology, and digital transformation ▲disaster relief and safety.

First, Korea, Japan, and China agreed to restore the trilateral cooperation system through regular trilateral summits and ministerial meetings, and to continue promoting the strengthening of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS).

The three leaders stated, "We reaffirm the necessity of holding trilateral summits and trilateral foreign ministers' meetings regularly without interruption for further development of trilateral cooperation," adding, "We will strengthen practical cooperation among the three countries through intergovernmental consultative bodies such as high-level ministerial meetings in fields including education, culture, tourism, sports, trade, health, and agriculture."

They also agreed on revitalizing person-to-person exchanges. They pledged to promote exchanges in culture, tourism, and education to increase person-to-person exchanges among the three countries to 40 million by 2030. They will actively support the representative person-to-person exchange program, 'Campus Asia,' and designate 2025-2026 as the Year of Trilateral Cultural Exchange.

Cooperation for sustainable development through climate change response will also address transboundary environmental issues. They will collaborate with Mongolia to implement a project to reduce yellow dust in East Asia and jointly strive to complete the work of the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting to be held in Busan, Korea, this November, aiming to establish a binding international agreement on plastic pollution.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the joint press conference of the 9th Korea-Japan-China Summit held at the Blue House's Yeongbingwan on the 27th. From left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, President Yoon, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In the economic and trade sector, the three leaders shared the recognition that joint efforts among the three countries play an important role in the prosperity and stability of the regional and global economy. They confirmed "the importance of transparent, smooth, and effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as the foundation of the trilateral free trade agreement," and stated, "We will continue discussions to accelerate negotiations on the trilateral FTA, aiming to realize a free, fair, comprehensive, and high-level mutually beneficial FTA with unique values."

Additionally, they adopted a joint statement on the 10-year vision for trilateral intellectual property cooperation as an annex, agreeing to strengthen cooperation to promote the creation, utilization, and protection of intellectual property over the next decade. The Korea Intellectual Property Office, Japan Patent Office, and China National Intellectual Property Administration stated, "In pursuing 'Trilateral+X Intellectual Property Cooperation,' we will strive to expand intellectual property cooperation beyond the three countries to other nations or regions by sharing the achievements we have created together."

Cooperation among the three countries to respond to emerging infectious diseases and aging will also be strengthened. They adopted a 'Joint Statement on Future Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response' and will promote trilateral cooperation on infectious disease response.

The joint declaration also reaffirmed their stance on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It stated, "We reaffirm that peace, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia are our common interests and shared responsibilities," and "We each reaffirmed our positions on regional peace and stability, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and the abduction issue, and agreed to continue positive efforts for a political resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue."

However, it was reported that no agreement was reached on specific solutions due to differing positions among Korea, Japan, and China.