Seoul Trilateral Summit: Rekindling Cooperation Amidst Challenges in Northeast Asia

Seoul Trilateral Summit: Rekindling Cooperation Amidst Challenges in Northeast Asia

Kang Jun-young [Professor, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies]

► Revival of Trilateral Summit: After a four-and-a-half-year hiatus, South Korea, Japan, and China held a trilateral summit in Seoul, marking the ninth such meeting since its inception in 2008. The summit included trilateral discussions and parallel bilateral meetings, focusing on enhancing peace, stability, and economic cooperation in East Asia.
► Challenges and Achievements: Despite fundamental differences in each country's priorities and the absence of China's top decision-maker, the summit resulted in a joint declaration emphasizing the need for regularized meetings and cooperation on various cross-border issues, including climate change, economic trade, and disaster relief.
► Future Cooperation and Key Issues: The summit reaffirmed commitments to advance FTA negotiations and highlighted the necessity of overcoming historical disputes, territorial issues, and geopolitical tensions for sustainable cooperation. The hope is that ongoing dialogue and practical cooperation frameworks will strengthen regional ties and stability.

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