President Moon Jae-in attended the 6th Korea-Japan-China Business Summit in Tokyo, Japan today.

The trilateral business summit is a venue for business leaders from the three countries to discuss economic cooperation in Northeast Asia and promote friendship among themselves. The business summit has been held on the sidelines of the trilateral summit, the first being held on the margins of the 2nd Korea-Japan-China Summit in Beijing, China in 2009. This year’s event is the sixth one.

Besides President Moon, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Premier Li Keqiang, the business summit was attended by about 80 business leaders, including the heads of three co-organizing bodies—the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Japanese Business Federation and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade—as well as from 50 leading businesses from the three countries. 

In his keynote address, President Moon proposed that the three nations take the lead in shaping the global economic order through a new way of growth based on innovation. In this vein, the President said that the global economy was going through difficulties, but this could be rather an opportunity for the three countries. He added that the three countries would be able to lead the global economic order if they departed from existing methods of success and found a more inclusive and innovative way of growth through cooperation. 

In particular, President Moon proposed the expansion of the horizon of regional economic collaboration, including in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and a trilateral free trade agreement among Korea, China and Japan; joint response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the establishment of a new cooperation paradigm in energy and the environment. The President also emphasized the role of business leaders. 

“Business leaders, our three countries have brought about remarkable economic growth till today thanks to your efforts,” President Moon said. “I propose our cooperation be expanded into various areas, going beyond economic growth, so that the peoples of our three countries can feel that their lives have gotten better.” 

President Moon asked business leaders of the three nations to join forces to solve global issues as well as to achieve prosperity in Northeast Asia. 

Business leaders of the three nations issued a joint statement containing ways of strengthening three-way cooperation themed with inclusive growth and innovation at the Business Summit.