The 2023 International Forum for Trilateral Cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea was held in Qingdao on July 3. One of the sub-forums, with the theme “Enhance Trilateral Mutual Understanding: From the Perspective of Local and Community-level Exchanges”, took place in the Shangri-La Hotel, Qingdao on the same day.

In the sub-forum chaired by Su-jin Park, director of the Seoul National University Asia Center (SNUAC) and professor at the faculty of geography, guests including Yuan Mindao, vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Yunju Ko, ambassador for international relations in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province of South Korea, Yoshida Hitoshi, professor at the faculty of international policies in Yamanashi Prefectural University of Japan, and Pan Feng, director of the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism exchanged opinions broadly on how to boost trilateral cooperation at local levels.

Quite a number of guests in their speeches highlighted the importance of deepening exchanges and cooperation between the three countries at local levels. Yuan Mindao noted that sister cities in the three countries have stretched their features, conducted exchanges and cooperation in economic and trade ties, science and technology, environment protection, disaster prevention and relief, cultural and adolescent affairs and played a vital role in shoring up friendship between the people in the three countries and promoting social and economic development. Yoshida Hitoshi suggested to diversify trilateral exchanges by mutually signing partnership agreements besides the pairing of sister cities.

Sitting across the sea from Japan and South Korea, Qingdao is among the Chinese cities having the closest ties with the two countries. To date, Qingdao has established sister city relations with Shimonoseki, Kyoto and Fukuoka, etc. in Japan, and with Daegu, Inchon, Pyeongtaek and Busan, etc. in South Korea. Looking into the future, Qingdao alongside its sister cities in the two countries will join hands to host more exchange activities such as sports events, festival celebrations and exhibitions, cultural and art events, bolster wider people-to-people exchanges and exchanges among adolescents via both online and offline channels, so as to better serve as bridges to enhance mutual friendship and expand cooperation.  (Xue Huafei)