by Yan Liang

The global multilateral trading system is currently facing unprecedented challenges. Capital markets are experiencing significant volatility, and security risks to industrial and supply chains are on the rise.

China, Japan and South Korea are not exempt from these challenges. As close neighbors with strong trade and economic ties, the three countries now need to strengthen strategic communication and deepen institutional cooperation to safeguard regional stability and prosperity. Only through joint efforts can they weather the storms ahead and maintain steady progress forward.

REFLECTING ON HISTORY: CRISES BREED COOPERATION

The history of trilateral cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea shows that progress has often been driven by collective responses to regional and global crises.

In 1999, in the wake of the Asian Financial Crisis, the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea joined in a breakfast meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Summit in the Philippines, which marked the beginning of the trilateral cooperation process.

In response to the 2008 global financial crisis, the three countries convened their first independent Trilateral Summit outside the 10+3 framework, thus institutionalizing the trilateral dialogue.

Crises have catalyzed cooperation. Today, faced with a global environment marked by rising protectionism and unilateralism, no country can stand alone. Only through solidarity can the three countries seize opportunities amid challenges and jointly mitigate global uncertainties.

FACING THE PRESENT: COOPERATION IS IMPERATIVE

Today, China, Japan and South Korea are economically intertwined, with trilateral trade exceeding 700 billion U.S. dollars. Their industrial and supply chains are highly integrated, reflecting a profound level of interdependence.

Given the geographical proximity of the three countries, the stability of each of the three countries directly affects the overall stability of the region.

In the face of growing global uncertainties and rising protectionism, it is essential for China, Japan and South Korea to strengthen cooperation to safeguard peace and promote development. Trilateral cooperation is not only in their common economic interest but also a strategic choice for maintaining regional stability.

At the same time, people-to-people exchanges have become increasingly active. The three countries have introduced visa-free or entry-facilitating policies, with the goal of increasing the number of mutual visits to 40 million by 2030.

The "CAMPUS Asia" inter-university exchange program is planned to be expanded to benefit 30,000 college students. The three countries have designated 2025-2026 as the Year of Cultural Exchange, and the opening ceremony was held in Tokyo in April. All of these show that people-to-people exchanges are not a slogan but a reality, and cooperation is the choice of the people.

As major economies of the region and beyond, China, Japan and South Korea have benefited from regional integration and the multilateral trading system. The three countries recently have agreed to support each other in hosting Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, accelerate negotiations on the China-Japan-ROK (the Republic of Korea) Free Trade Agreement, strengthen cooperation within regional and multilateral frameworks such as the World Trade Organization, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and APEC, and promote coordinated development with neighboring regions such as ASEAN through the "Trilateral+X Cooperation" framework.

Amidst turbulence in the global multilateral trading system, the three countries remain committed to upholding regional cooperation frameworks through their collective efforts, injecting confidence in regional development and contributing positively to the global economy.

In addition, confronted with shared challenges such as aging, climate change, public health, energy and digital governance, it is all the more important that China, Japan and South Korea work together to address these issues, contributing Asian wisdom and demonstrating the sense of responsibility as major countries.

STRENGTHENING MECHANISMS: SOLID FOUNDATION FOR COOPERATION

Over the past two decades, trilateral cooperation has evolved into one of the most mature, institutionalized and promising cooperation frameworks in East Asia. Trilateral cooperation enjoys a framework with the leaders' meeting as the core, 21 ministerial meetings as the pillars, and more than 70 multi-level dialogue mechanisms as the support, covering multiple fields such as economy and trade, environmental protection, health, education, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges, providing a solid guarantee for deepening cooperation.

During the 9th Trilateral Summit held in Seoul in May 2024, the three leaders identified six key areas for future cooperation, setting a clear direction for the revitalization of trilateral cooperation.

The 11th Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the 13th Economic and Trade Ministers' Meeting earlier this year further consolidated the consensus of the three countries to strengthen cooperation, playing an important role in promoting the institutionalization of trilateral cooperation and deepening the breadth and depth of trilateral relations, and sending a positive signal to the regional and international community.

As an important permanent institution for trilateral cooperation, the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) has played a bridging role in supporting trilateral cooperation mechanisms, facilitating policy alignment, and ensuring the smooth implementation of practical projects.

Looking ahead, the TCS will continue to leverage its strengths to help promote the high-quality upgrade of trilateral cooperation.

China-Japan-South Korea cooperation is not a matter of choice, but a matter of necessity and responsibility to meet the will of the people and goals of development.

Only when the three countries bear in mind the shared future and stand ready to help each other can they turn challenges into opportunities, stand firm in a turbulent world, and achieve the effect of "1+1+1>3" for the benefit of the three countries, the region and the world.

Editor's note: Yan Liang is the deputy secretary-general of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.