Reviving a Tripartite Bond: Japan, China, and South Korea to Resume High-Level Talks

Reviving a Tripartite Bond: Japan, China, and South Korea to Resume High-Level Talks

Trilateral Talks in Seoul

In a significant move towards regional cooperation, diplomatic authorities from Japan, China, and South Korea recently held high-level talks in Seoul. The officials agreed on the urgency of convening the Tripartite Summit between the three countries, a meeting that has not occurred since December 2019. South Korea, currently holding the rotating chair of the conference, is eager to host the summit within this year.

Anticipated Topics for Discussion

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the discussion resulted in an agreement to hold the summit at the earliest possible time convenient for all parties. A South Korean government official revealed that the summit is expected to cover a range of topics including human exchange, science and technology cooperation among the three countries, as well as security issues involving North Korea.

Preparatory Meeting for the Summit

In preparation for the summit, the officials also agreed to hold a meeting of the foreign ministers from the three countries. This meeting is being planned for November and is set to take place in Busan, South Korea. The high-level talks were attended by the Foreign Affairs Chief of Japan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea.

The Impact of Bilateral Relations and Global Crisis

Historically, the Japan-China-South Korea summit is supposed to be held regularly. However, its scheduling has been postponed due to the deterioration of Japan-South Korea relations during the administration of former South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significance of the Tripartite Summit

In a press conference, the foreign minister stated that the Tripartite Summit, aimed to be held within this year, holds significant importance. The three leaders, who are tasked with a great responsibility for regional peace and prosperity, discussing cooperation methods and regional issues would be meaningful. The foreign minister expressed his intent to make efforts towards the realization of the summit.