On October 16, 2025, President Yang Wanming of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) met in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, with Lee Hee-sup, Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), who was in China to attend the 26th China-Japan-ROK Friendship Cities Exchange Conference.
President Yang extended a warm welcome to Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup and commended the TCS for its active efforts in promoting friendly relations among China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK). He noted that over the past 26 years, the Friendship Cities Exchange Conference has grown into an important institutionalized platform for exchanges among subnational governments of the three countries, playing a vital role in deepening practical cooperation and strengthening people-to-people friendship. President Yang emphasized that, under current circumstances, trilateral cooperation faces both new opportunities and challenges. Strengthening communication, enhancing mutual trust, and deepening cooperation among China, Japan, and the ROK are of great significance to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond. He expressed the hope that the TCS would continue to support and take interest in the CPAFFC's work, join hands in building more platforms that foster people-to-people friendship, and inject fresh momentum into regional cooperation in Northeast Asia.
Secretary-General LEE Hee-sup expressed appreciation for the invitation and commended the CPAFFC's important contributions to advancing trilateral cooperation. He remarked that this year's conference was large in scale, rich in content, and fruitful in outcomes. At a time when the global economy remains sluggish and trade protectionism is on the rise, the successful convening of this conference carries special significance. The TCS stands ready to work with the CPAFFC to expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as subnational governance, culture, and youth engagement, and to jointly elevate regional cooperation in Northeast Asia to a new level.
Zhu Dan, Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs of the CPAFFC, was present at the meeting.
