Wang made the remarks in Tokyo while meeting the press together with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, after attending the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
Noting that the three countries fully affirmed the positive progress made in their cooperation since the Ninth China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Summit, Wang said they agreed that against the backdrop of a complex and turbulent international landscape and sluggish recovery of the world economy, it is necessary and responsible for the three sides to further strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, and provide more stabilising factors for regional peace and development.
First, Wang said, they agreed to consolidate the momentum of cooperation. The three countries will stay true to the original aspiration of cooperation, focus on the Trilateral Cooperation Vision for the Next Decade, and expand new areas, cultivate new growth drivers, and create new highlights of cooperation on the basis of implementing the cooperation centred on six key areas determined by the leaders’ meeting last year.
The three parties had useful communication on holding the 10th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Summit this year, and will strive to create favourable conditions and atmosphere for this purpose.
Second, they agreed to promote regional economic integration. The three countries will continue to communicate on restarting the negotiations on the trilateral free trade agreement, promoting the expansion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and maintaining the stability and smoothness of regional production and supply chains.
The three countries will keep pace with the times to build a highland of scientific and technological innovation in Asia and promote the development of new quality productive forces.
Third, they agreed to deepen exchanges and mutual learning. The three countries will hold the China-Japan-ROK Year of Cultural Exchange from 2025 to 2026, strive to increase the number of people-to-people exchanges among the three countries to 40 million by 2030, and consolidate the public opinion basis for trilateral cooperation.
Strengthening cooperation in social welfare, green and low-carbon development and other fields can bring more and better benefits to the people of the three countries.
Fourth, they agreed to enhance multilateral cooperation. The three countries will strengthen coordination and cooperation under mechanisms such as ASEAN Plus Three and the East Asia Summit, promote “Trilateral+X Cooperation” to the surrounding areas, and drive common development in the region.
They will support each other in hosting Apec meetings, promote open regionalism, uphold multilateralism and free trade, and push for more universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.
Wang added that the three countries fully affirmed the work of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, and agreed to extend the term of the Secretariat’s consultative committee, looking forward to the Secretariat playing a greater role in promoting trilateral cooperation. (Xinhua)
