Japanese experts highlighted the significance of the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as a timely and vital platform for presenting a constructive and forward-looking vision for the future to the world.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Tokyo on March 22 that China, Japan and the ROK have agreed to further strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation.

Wang made these remarks during a joint press conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul following their participation in the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

“Looking at the world today, we are in a period of great upheaval. If China, South Korea, and Japan can navigate through this period of instability, there is no doubt that in about five years, they will become a major center of the global economy,” said Ukeru Magosaki, director of the East Asian Community Institute and a former senior official at the Japanese foreign ministry.

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Magosaki noted that China is currently at the forefront of the scientific and technological revolution, and Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) should recognize that cooperation within a framework to ensure the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains serves their own interests.

“Many Japanese people still perceive today’s China as the China of the 2000s. If people-to-people exchanges become more active, it will become clear that cooperation between Japan, China, and South Korea is the right path for these nations to pursue,” Magosaki said.

In particular, he emphasized the importance of collaboration in the advancement of electric vehicles, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence, leveraging each country’s technological strengths to drive innovation and growth.

The trilateral meeting, cited as a “turning point in history” by Iwaya, saw the three sides moving to resume negotiations on a China-Japan-ROK free trade agreement while preparing for a leaders’ meeting later this year.

Kazuyuki Hamada, an international political economist and former parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs of Japan, said the United States, once the world’s dominant superpower, has exhibited increasingly self-centered behavior, offering little hope for fostering global stability and prosperity. He warned that if this trend continues, Asia too may face growing political and economic instability.

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“In this critical moment, the China-Japan-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting holds greater significance than ever. By fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cooperation on shared challenges, the three major Asian nations can work together to navigate these crises,” Hamada said.

He stressed that trilateral cooperation should extend beyond the Asia-Pacific region, serving as a stepping stone toward addressing global challenges.

“With the security environment becoming increasingly severe and the risks of environmental destruction and natural disasters rising rapidly, cooperation is more crucial than ever,” he said.

To prevent military conflicts, Hamada urged mutual visits between defense officials and regular exchanges among disaster prevention experts from all three countries to share information and best practices.

Kumiko Haba, former vice-president of the International Studies Association and distinguished professor at Josai International University, attributed the renewed economic cooperation among Japan, China and ROK in part to their efforts to counter the growing shift in US strategy toward protectionism.

“As US allies gradually distance themselves from Washington in economic matters, trade and exchanges with neighboring countries are seeing a revival,” Haba said.

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While Japan prioritizes its political relationship with Washington, US President Donald Trump’s threats to impose blanket tariffs on all countries, including allies, have forced the Japanese government to balance its alliance with the US while safeguarding its own economy.

“To mitigate economic damage, Japan is increasingly looking to East Asian cooperation as a means of stabilizing its economy,” she said.

Haba suggested that rather than focusing on military expansion, policies should shift toward economic transformation and greater people-to-people exchanges. She emphasized the importance of cultural exchanges in areas such as information technology, artificial intelligence, anime, and cosmetics, which have a strong influence on younger generations.

“To maintain and enhance regional peace and stability, it is essential to peacefully resolve disputes through noninterference in other countries' internal affairs and an approach of setting aside differences,” she said. “On this foundation, it is necessary for Japan, China, and South Korea to expand economic and cultural exchanges while strengthening public diplomacy and cooperation between local governments.”

Hidetoshi Tashiro, chief economist at Japanese consultancy Infinity LLC, said the US appears to be “reverting to a 19th-century style of protectionism or mercantilism”. He called on countries outside the US to collaborate in preserving and further developing the free trade system.

“The US, which has long held a leading position in advanced technology, is now leveraging its technological edge as a tool for sanction-based diplomacy. In contrast, Japan, China and South Korea have the opportunity to actively cooperate in advanced technology sectors, complementing each other’s strengths to generate new drivers of economic growth,” Tashiro said.

On March 22, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang and his Japanese counterpart co-chaired the sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue in Tokyo, marking the first such high-level economic dialogue between the two nations in about six years.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, highlighted that since the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, bilateral trade has surged more than 300 times. It has remained at a high level of $300 billion for 15 consecutive years, with cumulative bilateral investment nearing $140 billion.

Tashiro noted that the China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue “serves as a model for cooperation among non-US countries”.

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If Japan and China use this momentum to advance a free trade agreement, “it will not only greatly contribute to their own economic development, but also shift the economic center of gravity from the US to East Asia, ensuring a smoother global economic cycle and fostering 21st century economic growth,” he said.

Japan and China have the potential to foster extensive and in-depth collaboration across various economic sectors. For example, combining Japan’s sophisticated manufacturing technology with China’s innovative AI capabilities could create entirely new markets, Tashiro noted.

Furthermore, by integrating China’s advanced humanoid robotics technology with Japan’s well-developed assisted-living nursing home systems, both countries can work together to tackle the challenges posed by their rapidly aging populations, he added.

Last year, the top leaders of China and Japan met in Peru on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, reaffirming their commitment to comprehensively advancing strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.

Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, a Japanese civic group, emphasized that rather than merely following US directives, Japan must fully embrace Asian diplomacy — starting with improving Japan-China relations.

“Without coexistence and mutual prosperity with China and the rest of Asia, Japan’s success in the 21st century is simply impossible. Strong Japan-China relations are the cornerstone of Asia’s greatest security guarantee, and Japan must never lose sight of this,” Fujita said.

He expressed optimism over Tokyo-Beijing ties, noting that under Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s leadership, relations between the two sides are poised to take a major step forward.

Contact the writer at jiangxueqing@chinadaily.com.cn