Northeast Asia forum calls for new breakthroughs in cooperation among China, Japan, S. Korea

Former high-ranking officials and prominent figures from China, Japan and South Korea on Monday called for new breakthroughs of trilateral cooperation so as to promote regional peace and development in the new era.

The proposal was made in the tenth session of the Northeast Asia Trilateral Forum, a regional platform that drew about 30 political, business and academic experts from the three neighbors.

The forum, which kicked off Sunday under the theme of "10 years: Working Together for Common Prosperity of the Northeast Asian Region," was attended by former Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo.

Zeng, leader of the Chinese delegation, said in his keynote speech that facing complex and difficult economic situation, many countries in the world were now "huddling for comfort," but the Northeast Asian region lagged far behind in regional economic integration for historical and some sensitive issues.

Zeng said the China-Japan-South Korea summit held in Seoul in early November provided a rare historical opportunity for promoting regional economic integration, adding that the three countries should enhance mutual trust and try to achieve new breakthroughs in cooperation in the spirit of a Joint Statement issued during the summit.

Specifically, the former premier offered two suggestions. The three countries should push forward liberalization of trade and investment in Northeast Asia and speed up the negotiation process of a trilateral Free Trade Area.

They should also improve interconnection in an all-round way like accelerating the building of mega transportation, energy and communication networks, as well as regulatory framework, logistics and financial channels.

He emphasized the trilateral forum should continue to play the unique role of "Track 1.5" communication platform and dispel the concerns and barriers in reaching the China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) while providing constructive advises for the parties concerned in realizing interconnection, forward planning and feasibility study.

For his part, Fukuda said the three countries should promote cultural and people to people exchanges, quoting an old Chinese saying "amity between people holds the key to sound relations between states." He said mutual trust and understanding among the people was vital to improving relationship of the three countries.

Lee, for his part, said this year marked the 70th and 25th anniversaries of the end of WWII and the cold war respectively. He said the three countries could work together in building a global village, a common market and a peaceful community so as to lead the development of the world economy.

He added that the conflicts and wars in the Middle East and the recent regional terrorism have caused a lot of concern. The three countries should continue to maintain a stable relationship and benefit from the trilateral discussions.

The forum, co-sponsored by China's Xinhua News Agency, Japan's Nikkei news group and South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo, is aimed at strengthening non-governmental exchanges among the three neighboring countries.

The annual event has been held alternately in the three countries since 2006. Endit