TCS

On June 4, 2023, TCS Secretary-General OU Boqian welcomed the delegation of Jilin Province, headed by Mr. XU Caishan, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Jilin Province. TCS Deputy Secretary-General SAKATA Natsuko was present at the meeting. SG OU stressed that TCS focused on exchanges among local governments, appreciated Jilin’s contribution to the Trilateral Cooperation, emphasizing that the geography and humanities of Jilin are important advantages and looking forward to having further cooperation. Deputy Secretary-General XU Caishan pointed out that Jilin and TCS have established a profound friendship in the past, agreed on the importance of deepening local government exchange to promote economic and trade cooperation. Both sides reached a consensus on further cooperation in the future.▲ Secretary-General OU Boqian met with Jilin Province Deputy Secretary-General XU Caishan▲Group Photo

Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat Celebrated ‘TCS Day’ at Chenggye Plaza, Seoul TCS Unveils Official Mascot names and Showcases Commitment to Peace and Cooperation (Seoul, May 30, 2023) – On May 30, 2023, the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (hereinafter referred to as “TCS”) hosted ‘TCS Day’ at the Chenggye Plaza, Seoul. TCS Day was held to jointly commemorate the 13th anniversary of the “Memorandum on the Establishment of the TCS” signed by the governments of China, Japan, and the ROK in Jeju on May 30, 2010. During the Opening Ceremony, Deputy Director General Mr. KANG Young-shin from the ROK MOFA, Deputy Chief and Minister Mr. FANG Kun from the Chinese Embassy, and Minister Mr. YAMAMOTO Mondo from the Japanese Embassy delivered congratulatory remarks. Former TCS Secretary-General SHIN Bong-kil also attended the ceremony to celebrate TCS Day. Deputy Secretary General BEK Bumhym said in his opening remarks that the three countries have consistently strived to establish cooperative organizations and inter-governmental consultation mechanisms over the years. DSG BEK said, "In the future, the TCS will spare no effort to promote lasting peace, common prosperity, shared culture in the region, and deepen trilateral cooperation in various areas" in her opening remarks. The names of the TCS mascot, Crested Ibis, a bird symbolizing cooperation among China, Japan, and the ROK, were revealed at the TCS Day. It is an emblem of friendship to maintain the positive momentum of promoting trilateral cooperation. The names of the mascot were submitted with the participation of citizens from the three countries. The English name ‘Tribi’, the Chinese name ‘huán huán(鹮鹮)’, the Japanese name ‘Tokky(トッキー)’, and the Korean name 'Yeonwoo(연우)' were selected. These four names represent the meaning of friendship and cooperation between the three countries. Following the announcement, various performances took place, including a calligraphy performance showcasing the word of the year, 'Harmony(和合),' as well as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean jazz and dance performances. Additionally, there were photo exhibitions that reflected on the journey of TCS in promoting cooperation between China, Japan, and the ROK, along with an exhibition featuring the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Media & Internet Celebrities Tour, which was held in April. These events at Cheonggye Plaza garnered attention from the public. TCS introduced significant projects such as Trilateral Youth Exchange Network (TYEN), Trilateral Statistics Hub(TSH), and Trilateral Common Vocabulary Dictionary & Workbook(TCVD/TCVW) through exhibition booths. It served as a meaningful venue for citizens to learn about the culture, economy, and youth exchange between the three countries. TCS expressed its commitment to continue implementing various projects aimed at seeking peace and harmony in this region.▲ DSG BEK delivering Opening Remarks▲ Deputy Director General of ROK MOFA Mr. KANG Young-shin delivering Congratulatory Remarks▲ Minister of the Chinese Embassy Mr. FANG Kun delivering Congratulatory Remarks▲ Minister of the Japanese Embassy Mr. YAMAMOTO Mondo delivering Congratulatory Remarks▲ TCS Mascot Name Revealing Ceremony▲ Group Photo▲ Calligraphy “和合” Performance▲ CJK Jazz music performance

On May 22, 2023, Secretary-General OU Boqian of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) delivered an online lecture at The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP). SG OU introduced the history and overview of Trilateral Cooperation and the major programs that the TCS organizes. The presentation was followed by a Q and A session which focused on three themes; 1) Trilateral Cooperation amidst geopolitical difficulties 2) Common Challenges among CJK, and 3) Cooperation beyond the scope of CJK. Guided by the moderation of Professor NISHIZAWA Toshiro, the students actively raised questions expanding the themes above into fields of their interest such as human security, economic cooperation, gender equality, declining mutual perception, aging society, disaster reduction, cooperation with ASEAN countries, and so on. SG OU especially emphasized the importance of face-to-face exchanges. The overload of information alongside the 2-3 year pandemic has provided less opportunities for direct communication among the people, and led to the exposure of extreme opinions while people live a double-faced life in the cyber world and the real world. “Cooperation” is the key to maintain lasting peace in the region regardless of the rapidly transforming geopolitical landscapes and challenges each country faces. SG OU encouraged the students of GraSPP by saying “Where there is a strong youth, there is a strong Northeast Asia”. ▲SG OU Boqian delivering the lecture▲Students of GraSPP participating in the lecture

On May 17-19, 2023, TCS delegation participated in the 1st Korean Culture Cities of East Asia (CCEA) Networking Event in Gwangju, ROK. The event was hosted by Asia Culture City Forum(ACCF) Gwangju City and representatives from previous CCEA cities, such as Cheongju, Jeonju and Jeju participated. Gwangju chosen to be the first CCEA city when the project was launched in 2014 by the Cultural Ministries of the three countries. In the Networking Seminar, Gwangju city introduced their 10-year experience of exchanges with Chinese and Japanese cities. The participants actively shared challenges, needs and future prospects of trilateral local government cooperation in the culture and arts field. TCS also introduced its activities in partnership with local governments, including the CCEA Media and Internet Celebrity Tour held in April 2023. The participants welcomed TCS contributions and hoped that network among the CCEA cities could be strengthened further through various means as the CCEA celebrates its 10th anniversary. ▲Group photo of delegations from the CCEA cities ▲Networking seminar