S. Korea, China, Japan hold 1st three-way forum on public diplomacy

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BEIJING, April 29 (Yonhap) -- Former senior officials from South Korea, China and Japan held their first three-way forum on public diplomacy on Friday, during which they discussed how to promote cooperation and resolve sensitive issues among the three nations.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui, in a congratulatory speech at the forum, said the three nations should pursue their "common interests" by strengthening their political trust under the principle of "facing up to history and looking toward the future."

   The leaders of South Korea, Japan and China resumed a trilateral summit in South Korea last year, marking the first such meeting in about three years, with the aim of repairing relations strained by historical and territorial issues.

Zhang said the first round of the three-way forum, which was held under an agreement at last year's trilateral summit, demonstrated that the leaders of the three nations attached great importance to cooperation.

Former South Korean prime minister Goh Kun led the South Korean delegation during the one-day forum.

In his speech, Goh urged the three nations to remain united against North Korea's growing threats of nuclear capability.

"The joint response by South Korea, China, Japan and the U.S. against North Korea's nuclear threat will become a touchstone to build a new geopolitical order in Northeast Asia," Goh said.

Former South Korean prime minister Goh Kun delivers a speech at a forum in Beijing on April, 29, 2016. (Yonhap)