FM Cho calls for stronger S. Korea-China-Japan cooperation for regional peace

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has called for stronger cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan to promote peace and prosperity in their shared region, his office said Wednesday. Cho made the call during a meeting Tuesday with Tatsushi Nishioka, secretary-general of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), and Deputy Secretaries-General Kim Han-kyu and Li Jing, respectively from South Korea and China, to congratulate them on taking office this month, according to the ministry. The TCS is a trilateral organization established in Seoul in 2011 following a South Korean proposal at the second trilateral summit among the three nations in 2009. It carries out various programs, including people-to-people exchanges, aimed at deepening three-way cooperation. During the talks, Cho stressed the importance of cooperation among Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo in promoting the practical interests of their peoples and achieving peace and prosperity in East Asia. He said the South Korean government will continue to play an active role in helping the three countries find common ground and maintain dialogue while asking the TCS to serve as a platform for communication among them. The TCS officials expressed appreciation for Seoul's support for its activities as the host country and pledged to contribute to closer trilateral cooperation through various joint initiatives. The secretary-general serves a three-year term, with the position rotating among South Korea, Japan and China, in that order. The current leadership will serve through Aug. 31, 2029.