 "China, Japan and South Korea to hold first trilateral summit in 5 yrs to improve ties")
China, Japan, and South Korea are all prepared to hold their first trilateral summit in about five years, with top officials scheduled to meet in Seoul next week to discuss ways to improve ties among the economically powerful neighbours.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the summit on Sunday and Monday, South Korea’s presidential office said Thursday.
Since the inaugural trilateral summit in 2008, these meetings were intended to be an annual event among the leaders of the three countries. However, the summits have been suspended since the last one was held in December 2019 in China.
The upcoming summit is seen as an opportunity for China, Japan, and South Korea to manage their relations amid various regional and global challenges. The United States has expressed its support for the summit, with a State Department spokesperson noting that the US respects the ability of nations to make sovereign decisions in the best interests of their people.
Efforts to enhance cooperation among the three Asian nations have often encountered obstacles due to historical disputes, particularly stemming from Japan’s wartime aggression and the strategic competition between China and the United States.
Relations between South Korea and Japan, for instance, deteriorated severely due to issues related to Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. However, their relations have significantly improved since 2023, as both countries have taken major steps to move beyond their historical grievances and boost cooperation in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program and other shared challenges.
North Korea’s growing arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles poses a significant security threat to both South Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, China, North Korea’s last major ally and its biggest source of aid, is suspected of not fully enforcing United Nations sanctions on North Korea and providing covert assistance to help its impoverished neighbour. This support is seen as a way for China to maintain North Korea as a buffer against U.S. influences on the Korean Peninsula.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe summit in Seoul is expected to address these security concerns and explore ways to enhance trilateral cooperation amidst the complex geopolitical landscape of Northeast Asia.
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