SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- On 17 November local time, Ambassador Ou Boqian, secretary general of the Secretariat for Sino-Japanese-ROK Cooperation, called on ROK Foreign Minister Jeong Yi-rong. The two sides exchanged views on the progress and future direction of China-Japan-ROK cooperation. Present at the meeting were Deputy Secretaries-General of the Secretariat, Bai Fanqin and Natsuko Sakata, Lee Sang-yeol, Director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and Seo Yin-young, Director of the Division.
(From left): Deputy Secretary-General Bai Fanqin, Secretary-General Ou Boqian, Foreign Minister Zheng Yirong, and Deputy Secretary-General Natsuko Sakata. Courtesy of the Secretariat for China-Japan-ROK Cooperation
Foreign Minister Zheng Yirong congratulated Secretary-General Ou, Deputy Secretary-General Bai and Deputy Secretary-General Sakata on their appointment to the sixth consultative committee of the new secretariat. He said that China-Japan-ROK cooperation is of great significance to peace, stability and prosperity in Northeast Asia, and the secretariat has played a pioneering role in linking the three countries and promoting cooperation among the three countries in various fields, which is highly appreciated. He pointed out that the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics will be a favorable opportunity to promote the development of China-Japan-ROK relations, and hoped that the three countries would make joint efforts to gradually alleviate some of the difficulties facing the current relations between the three countries by starting from low-sensitivity areas such as cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He said that the secretariat will hold the annual China-Japan-ROK Cooperation International Forum next year and looks forward to contributing wisdom to the development of trilateral relations.
Secretary General Ou Boqian talked with Foreign Minister Zheng Yirong. Courtesy of the Secretariat for China-Japan-ROK Cooperation
Secretary-General Ou Boqian thanked the ROK government for its trust and support for the work of the Secretariat, and said that it would continue to work fully with the ROK Foreign Ministry to better promote China-Japan-ROK cooperation and consolidate the foundation of lasting peace, common prosperity and shared culture of the three countries. She said that China-Japan-ROK cooperation is the only intergovernmental cooperation mechanism in Northeast Asia with a permanent secretariat, which covers the widest range of fields, has the highest degree of institutionalization, has the richest cooperation results, and has the strongest endogenous driving force, and believes that this mechanism can play a greater role in solving the problems and common challenges between the three countries. Looking forward to the development direction of the Secretariat in the next ten years and introducing the main work ideas in the near future, she said that during her term of office, she will actively work to disseminate the concept of China-Japan-ROK cooperation, enhance mutual understanding among the people of the three countries, especially young people, carry out key work such as reviewing the achievements of China-Japan-ROK cooperation in the past decade, the International Forum on China-Japan-ROK Cooperation, and the "Data Harbor" of China-Japan-ROK cooperation, and strive to contribute to the enhancement of trilateral relations. (End)
Source: China News Network