Vigorous Economic Exchange among the Three Provinces/Prefectures and Neighboring Regions Jilin Province - Tottori Prefecture - Gangwon Province
Jilin Province Gangwon Province Tottori Prefecture

Since the 1990s, Jilin (China), Tottori (Japan) and Gangwon (Korea) have maintained exchanges with each other and neighboring countries such as Russia and Mongolia, with the vision to establish a North East Asian economic bloc.

The exchanges among the three provinces/prefectures first began when Jilin and Gangwon entered into a sister/friendship agreement in June 1994, followed by Jilin and Tottori’s MOU on Friendship Exchange in September 1994, (friendship province/prefecture agreement signed in 2017) and when Tottori and Gangwon concluded a friendship prefecture/province agreement in November 1994. A prominent regular event among the three provinces/prefectures is the Northeast Asia Industrial Technology Forum, held on a rotational basis since 2008. In recent years, the forum is held annually.

Furthermore, the three prefecture/provinces actively participate in other exchange programs targeting regions beyond China, Japan, and Korea. Following a suggestion from Gangwon, the Northeast Asia Regional Government International Exchange and Cooperation Summit (since 1994) and the EATOF (since 2000), have been held on a rotational basis among the participating local governments.

Since 2008: Signing of the Industrial Technology Exchange Cooperation Agreement, and the Commencement of the Northeast Asia Industrial Technology Forum (hosted on a rotational basis)
In accordance with the agreement made at the 2006 Local Government Summit in Northeast Asia, the Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Jilin, the Director of Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor of Tottori, and the Director of the Economy and Industry Bureau of Gangwon signed the Agreement on Industrial Technology Exchange to discover new cooperative projects on high-tech industry technological exchange. Based on the above agreement, the three local governments host the Northeast Asia Industrial Technology Forum on a rotational basis.

Events :

Events
Event No. Date Location Theme
1st 2008 Chuncheon, Gangwon Exploration of Advanced Industry Technology Exchange Cooperation Projects in Northeast Asia
2nd 2011 Changchun, Jilin Paradigm Shift and Regional Development of Industrial Policy and Infrastructure Development, Advanced Industry and Global Exchange Cooperation, Promoting International Science and Technology Cooperation Between Northeast Asia Provinces and Cities
3rd 2012 Yonago, Tottor Biotechnology and Human Resources Development
4th September 2013 Chuncheon, Gangwon CJK Trilateral Local Government Strategic Industry Development Policy and Corporate Industry Technology
5th September 2015 Jilin, Jilin
6th September 2016 Yonago, Tottor New Materials and Indigenous Local Industries
7th September 2017 Pyeongchang, Gangwon Local Participation in Innovation in the 4th Industrial Revolutionary Era
8th September 2018 Changchun, Jilin International Science and Technology Cooperation and Northeast Asian Regional Innovation Development
9th October 2019 Yonago, Tottori Gastronomic Technology Research
10th October 2021 Chuncheon, Gangwon (held online) Science and Technology and Industrial Paradigm Change Responses to postCOVID-19
11th 2022 [tentative] Jilin
  • The 10th Northeast Asia Industrial Technology Forum
    (Source: Gangwon Province)
2009, 2014: Commemorative Events for Friendship Exchange
In July 2009, Changchun and Jilin hosted the CJK International Culture Food Festival, followed by the CJK Youth Table Tennis Competition in August. The events commemorated the 15th anniversary of the friendship exchange among Tottori, Shimane, and Gangwon.

In August 2014, the four regions of Jilin, Tottori, Gangwon, and Shimane hosted a youth cultural experience event in Jilin to commemorate the 20th anniversary of friendly exchange. Other bilateral commemorative events were held in 2014 as well.

In October of the same year, Tottori hosted a photo exhibition reflecting on the history of CJK exchange, and Gangwon hosted a children’s art and photo exhibition on the history of exchange among the three CJK regions and Alberta, Canada (commemorating the 40th anniversary of friendship relation with Gangwon).
Since 1994: Local Government Summit in the Northeast Asia
The three provinces/prefectures, along with Primorsky Krai (Far East region of Russia) and Töv Province of Mongolia, have been hosting the Local Government Summit in Northeast Asia on a rotational basis. Here, the heads of each local government discuss measures to bring about co-development and co-prosperity in the region.

Past Events :

Past Events
Event No. Date Location
1st November 1994 Sokcho, Gangwon, ROK
2nd November 1995 Yonago, Tottori, Japan
3rd November 1996 Hongcheon, Gangwon, ROK
4th August 1997 Tottori, Tottori, Japan
5th August 1998 Changchun, Jilin, China
6th October 1999 Sokcho, Gangwon, ROK
7th November 2000 Yonago, Tottori, Japan
8th September 2002 Yanji, Jilin, China
9th July 2004 Töv, Mongolia
10th November 2005 Chuncheon, Gangwon, ROK
11th August-September 2006 Changchun, Jilin, China
12th October-November 2007 Tottori, Japan
13th September 2008 Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia
14th July 2009 Töv, Mongolia
15th May 2010 PyeongChang, Gangwon, ROK
16th September 2011 Changchun, Jilin, China
17th April 2012 Tottori, Japan
18th October-November 2013 Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia
19th July 2014 Töv, Mongolia
20th May-June 2015 Sokcho, Gangwon, ROK
21st August 2016 Changchun, Jilin, China
22nd October 2017 Kurayoshi, Tottori, Japan
23rd October 2018 Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia
24th July 2019 Töv, Mongolia
25th October 2021 Gangneung, Gangwon, ROK (held online)
26th 2022 [tentative] Jilin, China
Since 2000: East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum (EATOF)
The EATOF was founded in 2000 with the initiative from Gangwon, with the purpose of promoting co-prosperity in East Asia, close exchanges among the regions, and local tourism, as well as of globalizing East Asian tourism industry. The permanent secretariat for EATOF is located in Chuncheon, Gangwon.

Each country can have only one local government as a member of EATOF. Total of 10 local governments from 10 countries are current members of EATOF: Jilin (China), Tottori (Japan), Gangwon (Korea), Siem Reap Province (Cambodia), Special Region of Yogyakarta (Indonesia), Luang Prabang Province (Laos), Sarawak (Malaysia), Töv (Mongolia), Cebu Province (the Philippines), and Quang Ninh Province (Vietnam). The General Assembly is held biennially, while the Standing Committee is held annually.

Past General Assemblies :

Past General Assemblies
Event No. Date Location
1st September 2000 Gangwon, ROK
2nd September 2001 Yogyakarta, Indonesia
3rd September 2002 Cebu, the Philippines
4th September 2004 Tottori, Japan
5th September 2005 Jilin, China
6th September 2006 Sarawak, Malaysia
7th September 2007 Chiang Mai, Thailand
8th July 2008 Töv, Mongolia
9th September 2009 Gangwon, ROK
10th September 2010 Quang Ninh, Vietnam
11th September 2011 Cebu, the Philippines
12th November 2012 Siem Reap, Cambodia
13th October 2013 Luang Prabang, Laos
14th September 2014 Sarawak, Malaysia
15th October 2016 Yogyakarta, Indonesia
16th August 2018 Tottori, Japan
17th 2022 [tentative: second half of the year] Quang Ninh, Vietnam
(Source: Official Homepage of EATOF)