On May 22, 2023, Secretary-General OU Boqian
of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) delivered an online lecture at
The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP).
SG OU introduced the history
and overview of Trilateral Cooperation and the major programs that the TCS
organizes. The presentation was followed by a Q and A session which focused on
three themes; 1) Trilateral Cooperation amidst geopolitical difficulties 2)
Common Challenges among CJK, and 3) Cooperation beyond the scope of CJK. Guided
by the moderation of Professor NISHIZAWA Toshiro, the students actively raised
questions expanding the themes above into fields of their interest such as
human security, economic cooperation, gender equality, declining mutual
perception, aging society, disaster reduction, cooperation with ASEAN
countries, and so on.
SG OU especially emphasized
the importance of face-to-face exchanges. The overload of information alongside
the 2-3 year pandemic has provided less opportunities for direct communication
among the people, and led to the exposure of extreme opinions while people live
a double-faced life in the cyber world and the real world. “Cooperation” is the
key to maintain lasting peace in the region regardless of the rapidly
transforming geopolitical landscapes and challenges each country faces. SG OU
encouraged the students of GraSPP by saying “Where there is a strong youth,
there is a strong Northeast Asia”.
