Reconfirming Trilateral Cooperation

Three leaders of Japan, China and Republic of Korea had a meeting in Seoul, ROK, for the first time in these four and a half years. As international order is shaken by Russian aggression in Ukraine and Israel-Hamas war, the three leaders reconfirmed their commitment to economic cooperation However, very short description on regional security issues in the joint declaration indicated how the difference was wide among them. 

The framework of trilateral summit was established in 1999, with initiative of former Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi. Although the summit was interrupted by COVID-19 since December 2019, the leaders convened in Seoul at least to show their willingness to maintain the trilateral framework. With chairmanship of ROK President Yoon Suk Yeol, Prime Ministers of Japan, Fumio Kishida, and China, Li Qiang, sat at a table. They agreed at least on institutionalization of the trilateral cooperation.

 

“We will keep discussions for speeding up negotiations for a Trilateral FTA, aiming at realizing free, fair, comprehensive, high-quality, and mutually beneficial FTA with its own value,” said the joint declaration. The leaders recognized the agreements on FTA, cooperation over supply chains or commitment for increasing exchange of their nationals as outcome of the summit.

 

However, the declaration describes a little about security issues. “We reiterated positions on regional peace and stability, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and the abductions issue, respectively,” says the declaration. The expression retreated from the previous summit. “We are committed to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” said the outcome document of last summit in 2019. North Korea made a test of launching a “satellite” on the same day of the trilateral summit.

 

The declaration refers to nothing about China’s military pressure on Taiwan, as shown in China’s current military exercise around Taiwan. Although Japan has been reiterating that unilateral change of status quo by force cannot be tolerated in the international meetings with the Western countries or the Global Souths, Kishida did not touched on the principle in the meeting with China, as far as reported.

 

Kishida took moderate attitude toward China in the bilateral meeting with Li. Stressing necessity to stabilize Japan-China relationship for the region and the world, Kishida hoped China to understand on the processed water discharging from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant under monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Li only replied that it would affect the life of all the humans, calling the water “nuclear contaminated water.” Kishida did not raised an argument against constant approach of Chinese vessels to the Senkaku Islands.

 

One comfortable outcome for Kishida was reconfirmation of maintaining close communication with Yoon. In their bilateral meeting, the leaders agreed on enhancing the relationship in every level toward sixtieth anniversary from normalization of diplomatic relations next year. It is likely that the leaders will continue the “shuttle diplomacy” as long as they can. 

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