Others TCS Secretary-General OU Boqian attended the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou-Nara-Gyeongju Mayors’ Dialogue – Jointly Released the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou Initiative 2023-04-27
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On April 27, 2023, Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) Secretary-General Amb. OU Boqian joined the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou-Nara-Gyeongju Mayors’ Dialogue (Hereinafter referred to as “the Dialogue”). Together with Mr. Wang Jinjian, Party Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yangzhou Committee, Mr. NAKAGAWA Gen, the Mayor of Nara and Mr. JOO Nak-young, the Mayor of Gyeongju, jointly issued the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou Initiative. The Dialogue was also attended by Mr. KONG Lingjun, President of the Yangzhou People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Mr. TAKENAKA Keiichi, Deputy Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai, Mr. HAN Sangkook, Deputy Consul of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, and Mr. RO Jae-hun, President of the East Asia Cultural Center in Korea. 

SG OU Boqian highlighted in her speech that this Mayors’ Dialogue marks the first in-person exchange among the local governments of the three countries as they gradually overcome the impact of the pandemic. She expressed confidence that the Dialogue would play a positive role in resuming cultural exchanges, deepening industrial integration, strengthening complementary advantages, and jointly creating new economic growth points in the post-pandemic era. SG OU expressed satisfaction that the TCS was able to facilitate this Mayors’ Dialogue through the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Media and Internet Celebrities Tour. She emphasized that Yangzhou, Nara, and Gyeongju are historic and cultural cities, with a friendship that has persisted until now. Also, economic and cultural cooperation has flourished in various fields, occupying an important position in the history of East Asian civilization exchanges. SG OU further stated that the TCS is willing to work closely with Yangzhou, Nara, Gyeongju, and various sectors of China, Japan, and ROK to promote better development of trilateral cooperation and contribute to the maintenance and promotion of lasting peace, common prosperity, and shared culture in the region. 

Mr. TAKENAKA Keiichi, Deputy Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai and Mr. HAN Sangkook, Deputy Consul of the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai expressed that this Dialogue held offline in Yangzhou during the post-pandemic period is highly significant. They underscored that local exchanges play an essential role in fostering mutual understanding, promoting coordinated development, enhancing the prosperity of East Asian culture, and building stable intergovernmental relations. 

During the dialogue session, the Party Secretary Wang Jinjian, Mayor NAKAGAWA Gen, and Mayor JOO Nak-young, expressed their gratitude to the TCS for promoting the Mayors’ Dialogue and trilateral exchanges between local provinces and cities. They discussed the history and current situation of their cities and exchanged views on future cooperation in areas such as cultural industry parks, ancient city protection, and youth exchanges. All parties acknowledged the close cultural and economic ties between the three cities and expressed their willingness to strengthen their further cooperation. They also said they aimed to build the three cities into a model for East Asian exchanges and cooperation. 

In addition, Mr. RO Jae-hun proposed to strengthen the construction of a common cultural platform for China, Japan, and Korea, provide more opportunities for youth exchanges, and continue to build a community with a shared future for East Asia. President Kong Lingjun stated that the long-standing cultural exchange among the three countries is a valuable asset for the development of their relations. Also, efforts should be made to promote public diplomacy and people-to-people exchange and strengthen the long-term public support for friendly relations among the three countries. 

During the Dialogue, Party Secretary Wang Jinjian, Nara Mayor NAKAGAWA Gen, and Gyeongju Mayor JOO Nak-young, jointly issued the "Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou Initiative. All parties agreed that culture becomes colorful through exchange and civilization becomes enriched through mutual learning. The initiative promotes regional cultural consensus and sharing, deepens regional exchange and communication among Culture Cites of East Asia and promotes deep cooperation in the cultural tourism industry. 

The three cities also signed a memorandum of cooperation.

From April 19th to 28th, the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, in cooperation with the city governments of Gyeonju, Nara, and Yangzhou, organized the "Culture City of East Asia" Media and Internet Celebrities Tour. During this tour, Mayor JOO Nak-young, Mayor NAKAGAWA Gen, and Party Secretary WANG Jinjian met with members of the tour delegation in their respective cities. Mayor NAKAGAWA and Mayor JOO took the opportunity to lead official delegations to visit Yangzhou and hold a Mayors’ Dialogue. 

▲SG OU Delivering the Speech 

▲SG OU, Party Secretary WANG Jinjian, Mayor NAKAGAWA Gen, Mayor JOO Nak-young jointly released the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou Initiative 

▲Group photo of Guests at the ‘Culture City of East Asia’ Yangzhou-Nara-Gyeongju Mayors’ Dialogue

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