TCS

On March 9, 2023, the 7th Network of Trilateral Cooperation Think-Tanks (NTCT) Conference and 2022 NCT Conference were held online, hosted by the Japan Forum on International Relations. The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), the China Foreign Affairs University, and the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) were in attendance. Also in attendance were scholars from the Hunan University of Technology and Business, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (Japan), the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (Japan), and the National Institute for Defense Stduies (Japan). TCS Deputy Secretary-General BEK Bumhym delivered opening and closing remarks.DSG BEK expressed his gratitude for the support received from various fields of trilateral cooperation. He acknowledged the high relevance of the three topics of the meeting to trilateral cooperation, namely, carbon neutrality, high-level RCEP, and security cooperation. He introduced related TCS initiatives such as the Expert Meeting on RCEP (March 2022) and the 9th CJK Cooperation Dialogue (November 2022). He also emphasized TCS’ efforts in promoting youth exchange such as the Trilateral Youth Exchange Network as another pillar of promoting better ties between the three countries.The Focal Points Meeting’s discussions centered around the draft reports related to carbon neutrality, RCEP, and security cooperation created by the Working Groups organized by each participating organization. Following lively discussion on the contents of the reports, all those in attendance agreed to make prompt and appropriate revisions to finalize the reports for submission to the three governments as policy recommendations. The TCS reitereated its willingness to support the NTCT deliver its policy recommendations to the three governments.The conference focused on Trilateral Cooperation in the Era of Competition Between Nations. Participants acknowledged the increasingly complex global environment challenging trilateral cooperation, but found numerous areas for potential collaboration such as banking, health, green energy, people-to-people exchange, and third country cooperation.The NTCT, officially launched in 2015, has been promoting academic exchanges between the three countries on various issues such as security, economy, environment, and regional cooperation. The focal point meeting and the conferece aim to provide constructive policy recommendations to the governments of the three countries. The next meeting and conference is planned to be held in 2023, hosted by the KNDA.▲DSG BEK Delivering Remarks▲ Group Photo with Participants

On 6 March 2023, a student delegation from Kobe University and Korea University paid a study visit to TCS. The delegation was headed by Prof. NAKAHARA Masato, Assistant Professor of the Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies of Kobe University.Secretary-General OU Boqian warmly welcomed the students, briefed recent developments of TCS projects especially in the youth exchange and cultural area, and encouraged the students to join its newly established Trilateral Youth Exchange Network. She also emphasised that TCS plays a significant bridging role between the governments and the civil society, where its multi-layered cooperation covers almost all areas related to people’s lives.TCS programme officers introduced how the five mandates of TCS are implemented in each department in various forms of projects. Students actively asked questions about project implementation and stakeholder engagement at TCS, skillsets required as a programme officer, and career development in the international filed.Kobe University and Korea University are part of the CAMPUS Asia Program, a university exchange system launched by the Ministries of Education in 2011. Tasked by the Ministries, TCS contributes to strengthen the CAMPUS Asia Alumni Network (CAAN) and conduct annual workshops among alumni.▲SG OU delivering welcome remarks▲Group Photo

On February 22, 2023, TCS Secretary-General OU Boqian gave opening remarks at the 9th China-Japan-Korea Personnel Policy Network Heads’ Meeting. The meeting was hosted by China National Civil Service Administration, and attended by Mr. XU Qifang, Chief of the National Civil Service Administration, Ms. KAWAMOTO Yuko, President of Japan National Personnel Authority, and Mr. KIM Seung Ho, Minister of ROK Ministry of Personnel Management. The three sides reviewed the past three year’s cooperation outcomes, and signed the Memorandum of Cooperation for the next three year.SG OU spoke highly of the three personnel authorities’ joint efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic for continuing the positive cooperation momentum with various outcomes since the 8th Meeting in 2019. She introduced the TCS’ mandate to support trilateral intergovernmental mechanisms, and highlighted the TCS’ practical efforts in implementing the trilateral ministerial meetings’ consensus in areas of environmental protection, education, culture, public health, disaster management and transport and logistics, such as the Forum on Carbon Neutrality Goals of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, East Asia Culture City cultural tour for journalists and online influencers, CAMPUS Asia Alumni Network and Website. She further remarked that public servants are a main force to put in effect the leaders’ consensus on the Trilateral Cooperation, and the TCS would like to maintain close contacts with the three personnel authorities to render continuous support, and jointly promote “Lasting Peace, Common Prosperity and Shared Culture” in the region.The triennial China-Japan-Korea Personnel Policy Network Heads’ Meeting started in 2005 among China National Civil Service Administration, Japan National Personnel Authority and ROK Ministry of Personnel Management. The next meeting will be hosted by the ROK Ministry of Personnel Management in 2025.▲ The three personnel authorities signed Memorandum of Cooperation for the next three year

The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) organized the Young Ambassador Program (YAP) 2023 from February 7 to 21, 2023, during the TCS-initiated Trilateral YouthMonth. This year’s YAP themed on addressing themutual public perceptions among the three peoples, consisted of a variety of lectures, dialogues, site-visits, cultural immersion, career talks, CJK youth talks, and team projects. Thirty qualified undergraduate and graduate students from China, Japan, and the ROK joined the program, with 25 participants joining offline and 5 online.The dialogues and lectures served to enhance the participants’ understanding of challenges and opportunities for mutual public perceptions and regional cooperation in Northeast Asia. Participants learned about Trilateral Cooperation from TCS SG OU Boqian, historical and cultural bonds in Northeast Asia from senior CJK professors, mutual public perception insights from seasoned CJK journalists, East Asia regional cooperation review and prospect from senior CJK ambassadors. The online and offline site visits and cultural immersion to Jeonju city (East Asia Culture City 2023), Incheon city, Xiangyang City, East Asia Foundation, UNDRR Office for Northeast Asia (ONEA), ASEAN Secretariat and so on enabled participants to have a vivid understanding on the importance of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity in the region, and first-hand experiences of Shared Culture. This year’s program was featured with spotlights on youth. On the TCS-designated Trilateral Youth Day (10 February 2023), theYAP organized in Seoul, interacted online with the launching ceremony of Trilateral Youth Exchange Network, and the final competition of Trilateral Youth Speech Contest. The YAP program was also designed with seven TED-like CJK Youth Talks to stage Young Ambassadors for their thoughts on voluntary basis, and the solicited thought-provoking speeches covered cultural conflicts, semiconductor issues, nationalism, women’s rights and so on. Another three CJK Career Talks presented professional insights and career advice from international organization employees (represented by TCS’ own staff), online influencers and art curators.Throughout the program, participants were divided into teams and were tasked with proposing a potential project for the TCS to pursue. The TCS Board presided over the team project presentations on the final day of the program. Students proposed projects such as a Trilateral Career Development program, CJK Youth Policy Centre, and CJK Youth Leader Club in High Schools. The board awarded the excellence award to the team 2 for their project titled CJK Youth Wave. Two individual awards, YAP Excellence Award and Young Ambassador’s Choice Award were also conferred to two individuals that most contributed to the program.Started in 2013, the YAP is a short-term student exchange program that offers a range of opportunities for promising individuals of China, Japan, and the ROK to enhance understanding of the Trilateral Cooperation and foster a sense of community and friendship among the young generation of the three countries.▲Dialogue with TCS SG▲Discussion▲Interaction with Events Organized in Japan during TCS Trilateral Youth Month▲Cooking Experience Workshop▲Farewell Dinner