Since it officially launched on the occasion of the ASEAN+3 Summit in 1999, trilateral cooperation among China, Japan, and the ROK has gradually proven itself critical for regional peace and prosperity in East Asia.
While there is a greater call for regional cooperation today, such cooperation efforts have also been matched by conflicts and challenges in terms of differing geo-political and geo-economic strategies. The three countries have fostered competitive relations under the respective national policies, namely the Belt and Road Initiative of China, the Open and Free Indo-Pacific of Japan, and the New Economic Map of the ROK.
At the present juncture of rising tensions in Northeast Asia, this session will look at the long-term visions of CJK in the geo-political and geo-economic strategic aspects, and search for commonalities among the three countries. The session also intends to revisit the meaning of trilateral cooperation in celebration of its 20th anniversary and demonstrate an effective path for the three countries to achieve greater common good and peace in the region.