Tokyo: The foreign ministers of Japan, China, and South Korea have reached a consensus on promoting future-oriented cooperation, emphasizing the significance of trilateral collaboration. This agreement was announced by Japan's Foreign Ministry following a critical meeting in Tokyo.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the meeting saw Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya host his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, Wang Yi and Cho Tae-yul. The ministers pledged to expedite preparations for the next trilateral summit, with a focus on enhancing mutual understanding, fostering cooperation to secure livelihoods, and rallying efforts across generations to confront shared challenges. Iwaya raised concerns over North Korea's nuclear activities, cryptocurrency thefts, and its military ties with Russia, stressing the shared objective of North Korea's denuclearization as per UN Security Council resolutions.
Iwaya also highlighted the importance of a unified stance against unilateral attempts to alter the global status quo by force, referencing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He underscored the importance of future-oriented exchanges and cooperation among the three nations in leading regional and international efforts towards unity.
Wang Yi articulated the necessity for strengthened communication among the three countries, given the current international turbulence and sluggish global economic recovery. He assured continued dialogue on the trilateral free trade agreement, expanding the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and ensuring stability in regional production and supply chains.
Cho Tae-yul highlighted the timely nature of the meeting, emphasizing its importance in sustaining the momentum of trilateral cooperation, which was rejuvenated by the summit in Seoul last year after a long hiatus. He reiterated the necessity for the three countries to adhere to UN sanctions against North Korea and work towards halting its provocations and achieving complete denuclearization.
This meeting marked the first trilateral foreign ministerial gathering since November 2023, with the previous summit held in Seoul last May focusing on mutual cooperation in areas such as people-to-people exchanges, climate change, economic cooperation, and digital transformation.