1. President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, and Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang convened in Seoul, Republic of Korea on May 27, 2024, on the occasion of the Ninth Trilateral Summit.
2. Recalling that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the trilateral cooperation, we shared the view that the previous eight Trilateral Summits held since 2008 and the establishment of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) in 2011 have laid a solid foundation for institutionalizing the trilateral cooperation. We reaffirmed our commitment to implementation of the Trilateral Cooperation Vision for the Next Decade adopted at the Eighth Trilateral Summit. We appreciated that the trilateral cooperation has deepened in various areas, benefiting the three countries and peoples and positioning itself as a meaningful platform for regional cooperation.
3. We reaffirmed our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to an international order based on the rule of law and international law. In this context, we shared the importance for states to abide by their commitments under the international law and agreements among states.
4. We shared the view that the Ninth Trilateral Summit carries valuable meaning for revitalizing the trilateral cooperation. Japan and the People's Republic of China expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea's efforts as the chair country to bring the trilateral cooperation on track in close collaboration with Japan and the People's Republic of China.
5. Recognizing that the Republic of Korea, Japan and the People's Republic of China are neighboring countries sharing everlasting history and infinite future with significant potentials for cooperation across multiple domains, we concurred on the following, but not limited to, three directions in developing the trilateral cooperation:
6. First, we will strive to institutionalize the trilateral cooperation by holding the Trilateral Summit and Ministerial meetings on a regular basis, and continue to promote the capacity-building of the TCS.
7. Second, recognizing that the support of the peoples of the three countries constitutes an important driving force for deepening the trilateral cooperation, we will make efforts to ensure that peoples of the three countries can enjoy substantive benefits emanating from this cooperation.
8. To this end, we will identify and implement mutually-beneficial cooperation projects centered on six key areas closely related to the everyday lives of the peoples: people-to-people exchanges; sustainable development including through climate change response; economic cooperation and trade; public health and ageing society; science and technology cooperation, digital transformation; and disaster relief and safety. In particular, we will seek to deepen the bonds of cooperation in the field of exchanges between future generations, as we share the view that such exchanges are crucial in consolidating a long-term basis for the trilateral cooperation.
9. Third, we will promote 'Trilateral+X Cooperation' to ensure that the benefits of the trilateral cooperation extend to other countries so that the three countries can prosper together with other regions.
10. With this in mind, we decided the following:
Institutionalization of the Trilateral Cooperation
11. Recalling that the three countries decided to hold the Trilateral Summit on a regular basis through the Joint Statement for Tripartite Partnership adopted at the First Trilateral Summit and reaffirmed this through the Joint Declaration for Peace and Cooperation in Northeast Asia adopted at the Sixth Trilateral Summit, we reaffirm the need to hold the Trilateral Summit and the Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting on a regular basis without hiatus in order to further advance the trilateral cooperation. We reiterate that promoting the institutionalization of the trilateral cooperation enhances the respective bilateral relations and fosters peace, stability, and prosperity in the Northeast Asian region and helps to promote a world in which countries, big or small, could be universally benefited.
12. Furthermore, we will strengthen substantive trilateral cooperation through inter-governmental consultative mechanisms such as high-level meetings and Ministerial Meetings in areas including education, culture, tourism, sports, trade, public health and agriculture. In doing so, we commit to working closely together to ensure that our peoples enjoy the tangible benefits of the trilateral cooperation.
Trilateral Cooperation Projects for the Peoples of the Three Countries
13. (People-to-People Exchanges) Noting the need to revitalize people-to-people exchanges so as to foster mutual understanding and trust, we concur on the importance of enhancing amity and friendship by facilitating exchanges between peoples from all walks of life, especially future generations, thereby paving the way to strengthen the foundation of future trilateral cooperation. Also, we strive to increase the number of people-to-people exchanges among the three countries to 40 million by 2030 through promoting exchange including culture, tourism and education.
14. Recognizing the importance of cooperation in the education sector in promoting exchanges between future generations, we appreciate the exemplary role of CAMPUS Asia, an inter-university exchange program initiated in 2011, which has expanded to encompass universities in ASEAN member states. We note that the program has garnered the participation of 15,000 university students, and will actively support this project with the goal of having 30,000 students by the end of 2030.
15. We share the view that fostering exchanges and friendship among teenagers and youths of the three countries will serve as an important initial step towards shaping a brighter future for the trilateral cooperation. To this end, we will continue various exchange programs, including the ROK-Japan-China Children's Story Exchange Programme, the Junior Sports Exchange Meet, the Trilateral Youth Camp, and the Joint Training Program for Young Public Servants. Furthermore, we value the efforts of the TCS in conducting various youth exchange projects, including the Trilateral Youth Summit, the Young Ambassador Program, and the Trilateral Rural Young Leaders' Exchange Program.
16. Recognizing that culture plays a bridging role in connecting the peoples of the three countries, we will continue to expand platforms through which our peoples can cultivate a sense of shared understanding and interact with each other through such initiatives as the Culture City of East Asia, the Trilateral Arts Festival, and the Trilateral Cultural Content Industry Forum. We will also designate 2025-2026 as the Year of Cultural Exchange among the three countries.
17. Welcoming the launch of the Trilateral Visionary Group initiated by the TCS bringing together eminent figures from the three countries, we look forward to the constructive work and proposal to be issued for further improving the trilateral process. We support the Network of Trilateral Cooperation Think-Tanks to upgrade its relevance in trilateral cooperation. We also share the view that public diplomacy plays an important role in enhancing mutual understanding and deepening friendship among the peoples of the three countries.
18. (Sustainable Development including through Climate Change Response) We reaffirm our commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the importance of building a future of peace and prosperity where people live in harmony with the planet. We recognize the need to work together in transitioning toward a net zero greenhouse gases emissions/carbon neutrality, green economy and society. Welcoming that the 24th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting in November 2023 adopted a Joint Communique, we will continue our cooperation on eight priority areas. We also welcome that the 4th Trilateral Ministerial Meeting on Water Resources in May 2024 adopted a Joint Statement, which reaffirms the commitment of trilateral water cooperation to address climate change and build a resilient water infrastructure.
19. We will take solid action and support efforts to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal to address the climate crisis in this critical decade, and we will come forward with ambitious next Nationally Determined Contributions, reflecting the outcome of the first global stocktake. We will also contribute to global efforts toward clean, sustainable and affordable energy transitions through various pathways.
20. Through the 'Trilateral+X Cooperation' framework, we will collaborate with Mongolia on reducing dust and sandstorms in East Asia. We will promote collaboration on marine environmental conservation to achieve sustainability of the ocean for future generations. We will work together towards the ambition to complete the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution at its fifth session (INC-5) which will be held in Busan, Republic of Korea, in November 2024.
21. Recognizing our commitment to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which is one of the most serious threats to the conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources, we will carry out robust and effective measures to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing through various tools. We commit to the swift, full and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
22. (Economic Cooperation and Trade) We share the recognition that joint efforts in the economic and trade field among the three countries play a significant role for the prosperity and stability of the regional and global economy. We will endeavor to narrow the regional development gap and achieve common development.