뉴스레터

The NAHF and Kookmin University co-hosted an international conference on 'Beyond conflict and toward cooperation among the three countries of Korea, China, and Japan' in Seoul on September 12, 2014. This conference was an occasion to invite the Chinese and Japanese scholars who participated in the NAHF's joint research project to Seoul for the discussion of the topic together with Korean experts. The conference was highlighted for its significance, all the more because it coincided with the high-level talks among the governments of Korea, China, and Japan held in Seoul.

Since their agreement at the ASEAN+3 Summit in 1999, the three Northeast Asian countries have striven for 'trilateral cooperation' toward building an East Asian community. The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS, Seoul) established in 2011 was a fruit of such efforts. But, tension began to rise among the three Northeast Asian countries over the perception of history at the beginning of the 21st century as the then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, and it still snows no signs of dissipating. Along the same line, the incumbent Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's insistence on a different perception of history is the largest obstacle to the development of trilateral relations. Consequently, the spirit of 'cooperation' that the three countries have worked toward over the past dozen years has faded whereas 'tension' has never been higher.

Why Trilateral Cooperation? Why Now?

Against this background, the NAHF launched a joint research program last year engaging scholars from the three countries, in an effort to seek 'a functional cycle of cooperation based on the correct perception of history.' The research team of six, including myself, held seminars on "China-Japan relations surrounding history and territory and trilateral cooperation among Korea, China, and Japan" at the University of Tokyo last September and at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) last December, respectively. From these seminars, the joint research team derived the key phrase "trilateral cooperation and coexistence." And this conference at Seoul was an occasion for the entire joint research team to present the final results of their research conducted with focus on 'cooperation and coexistence' as the keyword.

The conference was divided into two sessions, each addressing the 'conditions' for the coexistence of the three countries, and what 'efforts' were required to establish them, respectively. In Session 1, Lee Won-deok (Director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at Kookmin University), Kazuko Mori (毛里和子, Professor Emeritus at Waseda University), and I were the speakers, presenting the 'conditions' for overcoming tension in Korea-Japan relations, China-Japan relations, and trilateral relations. In Session 2, Yang Bojiang (楊伯江, Deputy Director of the Institute of Japanese Studies, CASS) and Lee Hee-ok (Director of Sungkyun Institute of China Studies) pointed out what 'efforts' needed to be made for China-Japan relations, Korea-China relations, and trilateral coexistence under the Shinzo Abe and Xi Jinping (習近平) regimes. And Park Chang-geon (Research Professor of the Institute of Japanese Studies at Kookmin University) presented the logic for instituting trilateral cooperation through the transformation of the Elysee Treaty, the most representative example of coexistence in Europe.

'A Functional Cycle of Cooperation based on the Correct Perception of History'

NAHF President Kim, Hakjoon, Japanese Ambassador to Korea
Koro Bessho, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Qiu Guohong,
and TSC Deputy Secretary-General Chen Feng addressing
at the conference (From top left)

The results of this conference can be summarized into three points. First, the first international conference on "Beyond (Historical) Conflict and Toward Cooperation among the Three Countries of Korea, China, and Japan" was held in Seoul, taking the NAHF-led regular academic exchange on track. Secondly, policy ideas derived from the joint research participated by scholars from the three countries can be considered more reasonable than ideas that two parties came up with. Thirdly, and most importantly, this conference served the three governments and academia as an effective reminder of the importance of building 'a functional cycle of cooperation based on the correct perception of history.'

The current tension between Korea and Japan, and between China and Japan, is blamed primarily on the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who has a basically retrogressive way of perceiving history. But China as 'a responsible power' is also responsible for controling tension within East Asia. Koreas is also well aware that improving China-Japan relations is a prerequisite for the complete realization of the Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process and the East Asian Peace and Cooperation Initiative.

So the high-level government talks and the academic conference by the three countries held in Seoul this September to discuss ways of cooperation came at an opportune time. The NAHF will continue to make efforts to ease tension and improve China-Japan relations and Korea-Japan relations. I hope that the three countries will never cease to work on laying a foundation for cooperation and coexistence in order to overcome what is known as the Asian Paradox and build an East Asian community. Once the trilateral summits are resumed, we all will have to collect our thoughts to build a 'functional cycle of cooperation based on the correct perception of history."