On the 2nd (local time), the foreign ministers of Korea and China discussed resuming the Korea-China-Japan summit. Based on the recent meeting between President Yoon Seok-yeol and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, it seems that the importance of communication has been confirmed. Accordingly, it is expected that Korea, China and Japan will hold working-level consultations to coordinate the summit schedule in May.
According to Japanese public NHK, Asahi Shimbun, and Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 3rd, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa visited China and held talks with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Chin Kang on the 3rd.
In particular, both sides confirmed the importance of continuing close communication at all levels, including in Korea.
If the annual Korea-China-Japan summit is to be held in Korea this year in turn, it is likely that recently elected Prime Minister Li Chang will visit Korea. In China, prime ministers often represent China at multilateral summits.
China’s position can be interpreted as a willingness to check the structure at a time when the US’s check on China is in full swing and cooperation between Korea, the US and Japan is being strengthened.
The Korea-China-Japan summit has been held a total of eight times since December 2008 under the Lee Myung-bak administration.
If this year’s summit comes to fruition, it will serve as an opportunity to ease competition between the US and China as well as in Northeast Asia and discuss China’s role in North Korea’s recently intensifying nuclear and missile provocations.
Diplomats believe that it will also help to promote people-to-people exchanges and economic cooperation at a time when economic vitality between Korea and China and Japan has declined, as South Korea posted a trade deficit of billions of dollars with China in January this year.
In addition, there may be more room for communication about economic regulation issues tangled between the US and China, such as restrictions on factories in China by Korean companies under the US Semiconductor Support Act.
According to the diplomat, the diplomatic authorities of Korea, China and Japan will begin full-scale working-level consultations to coordinate the summit from May.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.