Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has started his visit to Japan and South Korea. As COVID-19 has triggered disruption to the global economy, China, Japan and South Korea's joint fight against the pandemic has made trilateral ties even more significant to the economic recovery. 

Their economic partnership has overcome a complicated rivalry over history and territorial claims. Meanwhile, China's 14th five-year plan for national economic and social development and the 2035 long-term goal have brought opportunities for the three countries to develop even more directional, diversified and high-level economic cooperation. 

Thus CGTN has launched a "New Vision for China, Japan and South Korea Trilateral Cooperation" TV forum, which a number of policymakers and scholars from the three countries participated in online and offline.

China is recovering economically, but it is still fighting an uphill battle. It has mapped out a plan for the next five years and set goals for the next 15 years. When asked the major challenges for China's economic development, China's former Vice Minister of Finance Zhu Guangyao said global solidarity is essential.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said we are living through a period of converging crises and unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also stressed the importance of regional cooperation especially when protectionism and anti-globalization sentiment is rising.

Japan recently had a change of leadership and new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his cabinet are looking for ways to revive the Japanese economy. When asked the top priority for Japan in terms of economic development, former Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Akiko Yamanaka said a regional network is important. But the fractious relationship between Japan and South Korea in terms of the trade restrictions may have laid some obstacles in that regard.

Politics and economics go hand in hand. But political disagreements in the past have had a negative impact on both trilateral and bilateral relationships in Asia. Professor Sooyoung Song from Chung-Ang University said sincerity and "mutual trust" are the basis for economic cooperation going forward.

With the lingering influence of COVID-19, it's high time that China, Japan and South Korea find common ground and usher in a new era for trilateral ties.

"Dialogue" is a prime time English-language daily talk show on CGTN. The 30-minute program covers a wide range of domestic and international topics, providing a balanced and critical perspective on current affairs and analysis within the framework of cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary comparisons.

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