Education ministers of China, Japan, ROK agree to enhance cooperation

TOKYO - Education ministers of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) exchanged views on further enhancing cooperation in education areas at the second China-Japan-ROK Education Ministers' Meeting held here on Wednesday.

Chinese Minister of Education Chen Baosheng and his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi, and South Korean Education Minister Kim Sang-gon who is also deputy prime minister, attended the meeting.

The ministers pointed out at the meeting that China, Japan and the ROK, as major Asian countries, are facing common opportunities and challenges.

Since the first meeting of the ministers held in South Korea in 2016, the three sides have made joint efforts to implement cooperation initiatives, and education cooperation has been progressing well generally, which in turn helped promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhancement of trilateral relationships, the ministers have noted.

The three sides will continue to promote communication between students and young people of the three countries and further implement the CAMPUS Asia Program, and enhance cooperation under multilateral frameworks, according to the ministers.

Chen said that the education ministries of the three countries should bring into full play the unique role of education as adhesive and lubricant in the development of relationship between countries, learn from each other and work together to provide talents and intellectual support for regional economic and social development, provide positive energy for regional peace and development and make contribution to building a community of shared future for mankind.

The three ministers signed a joint communique on cooperation after the meeting.

Before the trilateral meeting, Chen also held meetings with Hayashi and Kim respectively, during which he exchanged views with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts on further promoting practical cooperation on high education, vocational education, youth communication and other areas.

He also reached agreement with the Japanese side on a five-year plan on China-Japan education communication between 2018 and 2022.

The third China-Japan-ROK Education Ministers' Meeting will be held in China in 2019.