On September 26, the 17th Meeting of the China-Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Forum was held in Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), the Foundation for Cultural Heritage and Art Research(Japan), and the Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Council. Yuan Mindao, Vice President of CPAFFC, attended and delivered a speech. The forum was also attended by Chen Xiaoping, Member of the Party Leadership Group of the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province; Wei Xiaokui, Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC; Sawa Kazuki, President of the Foundation for Cultural Heritage and Art Research(Japan); Chung Kuchong, Chairman of the Korea-Japan Cultural Exchange Council; LEE Heesup, Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS); representatives from the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Wuhan, as well as representatives from relevant organizations in Jiangxi Province and Fuzhou City, totaling over 90 participants.
In his opening remarks, Chen Xiaoping expressed hope that the forum would provide an opportunity for attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of Jiangxi, explore the “Jiangxi opportunities”, and share the “Jiangxi dividends”. He emphasized the importance of connecting with and integrating into Northeast Asia’s regional development, continuously strengthening the friendship between Jiangxi and the people of Japan and South Korea, and promoting broader, higher-level, and more extensive exchanges and cooperation with both nations.
Yuan Mindao noted that China, Japan, and Korea are geographically close and share strong cultural ties. At the China-Japan-South Korea Leaders’ Meeting in May this year, it was agreed that 2025-2026 would be designated as the China-Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Year. The three nations should leverage culture as a medium to enhance understanding, build consensus, and foster cooperation, working together to safeguard and build a shared East Asian home and to create an East Asian community with a shared future. He stressed the importance of continued people-to-people cooperation among the three countries, emphasizing that cultural and artistic exchanges should continuously convey positive energy and solidify the foundations of mutual respect, trust, and friendly cooperation.
Sawa Kazuki emphasized that holding the China-Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Forum with a focus on drama, through the medium of musical and artistic exchanges, has not only deepened mutual understanding and promoted cooperation but also strengthened cultural identity and closeness among the three nations. He underscored the forum’s significance in fostering future collaboration among the three countries.
Chung Kuchong highlighted that while the cultures of Korea, China, and Japan share similarities, each has its own unique stories and characteristics. He called for proactive collaboration among the three nations to protect and preserve their rich cultural heritage, explore new areas of exchange, and enhance cultural dialogue. Such efforts, he noted, would contribute to advancing the trilateral friendly relations and regional peace and stability.
During the forum, experts from China, Japan, and Korea shared their views under the theme “Drama Unites East Asia, Shining Across the World”. Professor Huang Bikang from Peking University delivered a keynote speech titled “Resonance of Classics: Rebirth of Tang Xianzu’s ‘The Four Dreams of Linchuan’ in the English-Speaking World”. Additionally, artists from the three nations gave live performances featuring traditional dramas, including The Peony Pavilion, kabuki, and pansori, each showcasing their respective cultural uniqueness. Children from Fuzhou’s Second Experimental School sang the forum’s theme song, “We Are the Future”, in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. During their visit, representatives from Japan and Korea toured cultural sites such as the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall, the China Theatre Museum, and the Wang Anshi Memorial Hall in Fuzhou. They also attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 Tang Xianzu Drama Festival & International Drama Exchange Month.
The China-Japan-Korea Cultural Exchange Forum, a mechanism for exchange initiated by CPAFFC in collaboration with related organizations from Japan and Korea, has been successfully held 17 times since its inception in 2005.
