South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul visited Tokyo on Friday, March 21, 2025, to attend a trilateral meeting with his Japanese and Chinese counterparts to discuss ways to enhance cooperation. Cho was accompanied by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for the trilateral meeting to be held in Japan’s capital for the first time since the last meeting, which was held in the port city of Busan in southeastern South Korea in November 2023. The ministers reviewed the progress of trilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the future development of trilateral cooperation, as well as on regional and international issues.[1]
This initiative is of critical importance for the three countries to take a common stance towards maintaining regional peace and stability, and seeking a solution that emphasizes diplomatic dialogue and cooperation in the face of frequent tensions. In addition, this meeting contributed to keeping direct communication channels open on economic and security issues, preventing the rupture of ties between the countries, and pursuing a more constructive process in the long term. Moreover, ensuring stability in the region has helped Asia become an influential center by strengthening its position in the international arena.
Trilateral cooperation will ensure the security of supply chains for both the largest trade partners in economic terms and the leading countries in Asia in terms of production and export. In this way, foreign investors will invest more in the region and capital flow will be encouraged. In addition, the stability of the security environment will contribute to the three countries assuming a more effective role on the global stage. This cooperation will create a balancing act as major powers such as the US and Russia expand their influence in Asia, and will reduce security concerns on the Korean Peninsula to a certain extent, through the adoption of a common stance on tensions with North Korea or China assuming a mediating role.
Global geopolitical competition creates conditions that make it more difficult to maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Although Japan and South Korea aim to enhance cooperation with China, their close ties with the United States will limit this cooperation. In the context of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, the close relationship between the U.S. and both Japan and South Korea serves as a counterbalance to China’s military presence in the region. However, growing military cooperation between the U.S. and these two countries—particularly in the context of tensions over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula—has the potential to easily weaken the still-developing cooperation with China.
It is possible for Japan and South Korea to strengthen trilateral cooperation not only through bilateral relations with China but also by engaging in multilateral platforms. Multilateral frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (ASEAN+3) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) can support this trilateral cooperation by fostering constructive relations with China for the sake of regional peace and security and by helping to prevent the emergence of rigid blocs in the region.
On the other hand, Cho’s visit is his first to Tokyo since assuming office in January 2024 and the first visit by a South Korean Foreign Minister in his own capacity since former Foreign Minister Park Jin’s visit to Tokyo in July 2022.[2]Considering the historical context, while past wars, colonialism and competition between these countries have been influential in shaping their current diplomatic relations, constructive policies based on cooperation should be pursued in line with today’s fundamental realities, namely economic interests and regional security concerns.
This trilateral meeting has been a turning point for the Asia-Pacific region in terms of geopolitical balance, strengthening economic ties and ensuring regional stability. Because this development has given important signals on the path to a collective identity-building process in trilateral relations. While China has created an image of a growing and cooperative country, South Korea and Japan have assumed an identity-building role as mediators of regional stability or responsible leaders. In addition, the recent adoption of new norms in economic, security and cultural areas has strengthened the trust of the three countries in each other and ensured the emergence of regional peace and development.
In his statement, Cho expressed that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to South Korea on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit could mark a new turning point in bilateral relations. Wang, who described China and South Korea as “inseparable neighbors,” emphasized the need for “frequent exchanges of views” in order to further advance bilateral ties. These talks took place at a time when the two Asian neighbors are striving to manage and improve their bilateral relations as significant economic and regional partners, despite their differences in the field of security.[3]
In conclusion, this meeting highlighted South Korea and Japan as balancing actors in the Asia-Pacific region and emphasized a strategy of multi-balancing in the face of the ongoing China–U.S. rivalry. Moreover, the meeting served as a concrete example of a transition from past conflicts to cooperation among the three countries. China, South Korea, and Japan have focused on setting aside their historical disputes and advancing their cooperation based on new regional norms and shared interests. While this cooperation appears effective and pragmatic in the short term—particularly in terms of safeguarding security interests and maintaining regional stability—it is likely to remain limited in the long term if shifting power dynamics lead to the emergence of new obstacles.
[1] “FM Cho travels to Tokyo for trilateral meeting with Japanese, Chinese top diplomats”, Yonhap News Agency,https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250321002451315?section=national/diplomacy, (Accessed Date: 21.03.2025).
[2] Ibid.
[3] “FM Cho voices hope for visit by China’s Xi to S. Korea for APEC summit”, Yonhap News Agency, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250321009351315?section=national/diplomacy, (Accessed Date: 21.03.2025).
