The three-way talks took place as Tokyo and Seoul enhanced security and economic connections with Washington in response to escalating threats from the CCP and North Korea.
The leaders of China and Japan arrived in Seoul on May 26 for a three-way summit with South Korea’s president.
The upcoming trilateral meetings occurred as Japan and South Korea strengthened security and economic ties with the United States due to the increasing threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and North Korea.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held separate discussions with the visiting Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday before hosting a welcoming dinner banquet together in Seoul. Their trilateral talks are scheduled for May 27.
The formal summit also marks the first face-to-face meeting of the three neighboring countries’ leaders in over four years.
In 2008, the leaders of these three economies, which comprised a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product, agreed to hold an annual meeting. However, the meeting has been paused since the last one in December 2019 in Chengdu, China, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and complex relationships among the three nations.
Agenda topics for the recent high-level meetings include people-to-people exchanges, climate change, trade, health issues, technology, and disaster responses, according to South Korea’s official statement.
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“This meeting will serve as a turning point for the three countries to completely restore and normalize the cooperative system,” South Korean Deputy National Security Director Kim Tae-hyo said during a May 23 briefing when announcing the summit.
Before traveling to South Korea on Sunday, the Japanese Prime Minister stated that he expected to have “candid and straightforward discussions” with Mr. Yoon and Mr. Li and to align on future-oriented practical cooperation.
‘Serious Concern’ about Taiwan
Prior to the trilateral meetings, Mr. Kishida met separately with Mr. Li in Seoul. The meeting, as per China’s state broadcaster CCTV, addressed issues like Taiwan and Japan’s release of “nuclear-contaminated” wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The Japanese government maintains that the water is safe, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N. atomic watchdog, validated this claim.
In a report submitted to the Japanese government in July 2023, the agency affirmed that the discharged wastewater would have minimal radiological effects on people and the environment. The IAEA approved Japan’s discharge plan, and the European Union decided to remove restrictions on Japanese seafood imports.
Nevertheless, the CCP imposed a blanket ban on all aquatic products from Japan in August 2023 shortly after Japan initiated the discharge of over a million metric tons of treated water into the Pacific Ocean. This sweeping ban has faced backlash from international communities and fishing industries, with some experts suggesting political considerations likely influenced Beijing’s decision.
Following the bilateral meeting with Mr. Li, Mr. Kishida expressed his plea for the Chinese side to immediately lift the ban on Japanese seafood.
Mr. Kishida also raised Japan’s “serious concern” about Beijing’s recent military expansion, emphasizing Tokyo’s belief that stability in the Taiwan Strait is “essential” not only for the region but also for the international community.
An outdoor screen shows a news coverage of China’s military drills around Taiwan, in Beijing on May 23, 2024. (Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images)
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait escalated last week as the CCP conducted large-scale exercises in the sea and airspace around Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by the communist regime. The military drills involving the Chinese navy, air force, and rocket forces commenced on May 23, shortly after the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, prompting criticism from the United States and the European Union.
Mr. Kishida mentioned that Japan is closely monitoring recent military developments in the Taiwan Strait.
North Korea Concerns
Prior to his meeting with Mr. Li, Mr. Kishida engaged in bilateral discussions with his South Korean counterpart. The two leaders deliberated on issues related to North Korea and agreed to enhance cooperation with the United States, stated Mr. Kishida,
As per the office of South Korea’s president, Mr. Yeol and Mr. Kishida voiced specific concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities. The Kim Jong Un regime has conducted various weapon tests in recent years, including launching intercontinental ballistic missiles with potential range to reach the U.S. mainland.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (L) prior to a bilateral meeting at Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea on May 26, 2024. (Ahn Young-Joon/Pool/Getty Images)
Kyodo news agency and other Japanese media reported in April that Mr. Kishida and Mr. Yeol may visit Washington in the upcoming months to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden. If confirmed, this would mark the first summit of the three leaders since the historic Camp David meetings in August 2023.
