The summit was attended by ROK President Yoon Suk-Yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. Prior to the summit, leaders also held a series of bilateral talks. This was the first trilateral summit since 2019. Despite their diverging perspectives on global affairs and differing strategic interests, the three Northeast Asian countries decided to restore high-level dialogue, setting aside current geopolitical divisions to focus on cooperation. While the summit did not lead to major breakthroughs on sensitive issues, the fact that these historically contentious neighbours managed to meet, especially given the tense geopolitical background, can be seen as a positive sign.
Authors: Gabrielle Godard, EIAS Junior Researcher and David Defer, University of East Anglia
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