China-Japan-ROK cooperation

4. Information and communications

Information and communications is one of the priority areas for trilateral cooperation. In September 2002, the information and communications ministers of the three countries held their first formal meeting and issued a joint statement, in which they announced the launch of the ICT Ministers' Meeting mechanism. Five meetings have been held so far. The Fifth China-Japan-ROK ICT Ministers' Meeting in January 2011 confirmed that the three countries will strengthen policy exchanges and conduct exchanges and cooperation in the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, internet security, new-generation mobile communications and other areas. Within the framework of the Trilateral ICT Ministers' Meeting, the three countries have maintained sound exchanges and cooperation in such areas as third-generation and next-generation mobile communications, next-generation internet and RFID/sensor network, internet and information security, open-source software, telecommunications service policies and communications services for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

5. Customs cooperation

The Tripartite Customs Heads' Meeting, which was officially launched in 2007, has provided an important platform for the customs authorities of the three countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation in regional affairs. The customs heads of the three countries have already met four times so far. At the Fourth Customs Heads' Meeting held in November 2011, the revised Action Plan of the Tripartite Customs Cooperation was adopted, which mapped out trilateral customs cooperation for the future. The Trilateral Customs Heads' Meeting is supported by four working groups, i.e., working groups for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection, customs enforcement and intelligence, authorized economic operator (AEO) and customs procedures. The customs authorities of the three countries have carried out close and effective cooperation in the above areas as well as in human resources development.

In the area of IPR protection, the Customs Authorities of the three countries have adopted the IPR Action Plan (fake-zero project), and made progress in general and case information exchange, legislation and law enforcement practice sharing, public awareness campaign and cooperation with IPR holders. In the area of law enforcement cooperation, the three countries have concluded the Action Plan on Intelligence Exchange and Law Enforcement Cooperation, and improved the dissemination and utilization of intelligence and information for combating commercial fraud and drug trafficking in keeping with the provisions of the action plan, provided mutual support in case investigation, and carried out effective joint campaigns against transnational smuggling activities. The three countries will continue their consultations with a view to improving the efficiency and quality of intelligence and information exchange. In the area of AEO mutual recognition, the three countries have taken effective steps to advance cooperation in AEO mutual recognition. The customs authorities of China and the ROK have signed the Action Plan for AEO Mutual Recognition, which is expected to lead to the formation of the arrangement for AEO mutual recognition between China and the ROK in 2013. The customs authorities of China and Japan have also drafted the roadmap for AEO mutual recognition and are now in the process of comparing their respective AEO regimes. In the area of customs procedure harmonization, the three countries have adopted the Work Plan for the Improvement of Customs Procedures, and identified the priorities and goals of the customs procedure working group. In the area of human resources development, the General Administration of Customs of China has signed the Memorandums of Cooperation in Human Resource Development respectively with its counterparts in Japan and the ROK, laying a solid foundation for furthering their cooperation.

The customs authorities of the three countries have conducted in-depth exchange of views on regional trade security and facilitation, IPR protection, law-enforcement cooperation and human resources development within the Customs Heads' Meeting framework. This has not only contributed to the healthy growth of their own economies and regional economy, but also set a good example for customs cooperation in other parts of the world.

6. Intellectual property rights

In September 2001, the State Intellectual Protection Office of China (SIPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO) and Korean Industrial Property Office (KIPO) held the First Intellectual Property Rights Commissioners' Meeting in Tokyo, and launched the mechanism of Trilateral Policy Dialogue among SIPO, JPO and KIPO. In 2007, the roadmap for cooperation among the three agencies was adopted during the seventh IPR Commissioners' Meeting, which set out the medium and long-term goals for trilateral cooperation. In 2011, the roadmap for cooperation was updated at the 11th IPR Commissioners' Meeting, and the three agencies signed a joint statement on enhancing IPR cooperation, which marked the beginning of a new stage for trilateral IPR cooperation.

Since the establishment of the IPR Commissioners' Meeting mechanism, the intellectual property agencies of the three countries have carried out effective and practical cooperation in automation development, comparative patent review studies, professional training and institutional building, which have greatly boosted their respective IPR endeavors. In the meantime, the three agencies have also explored ways for furthering cooperation with ASEAN, exchanged views on other international IPR hotspot or focal issues, and made positive contribution to IPR cooperation in Asia and beyond.

7. Standards and metrology

The Northeast Asia Standards Cooperation Conference is a trilateral cooperation mechanism in the area of standards, launched upon the proposal of the Korean Standards Association. Starting from 2002, the annual conference has been hosted by China, Japan and the ROK on a rotating basis, and ten conferences had been held as of the end of 2011.

In 2003 and 2008, the three countries also started holding concurrent China-Japan, China-ROK and Japan-ROK bilateral meetings respectively. The conference started as a non-governmental initiative with the government playing a supporting role. Through the platform provided by the conference, the three countries have improved the working mechanism of their cooperation in the area of standards. Currently, trilateral standards cooperation has completed the transition from a non-governmental initiative into a government-led program with public participation, which has enabled the three countries to participate in international and regional standards activities in a more substantive and effective way.

In order to implement the Joint Statement on Standards Cooperation issued during the Trilateral Summit Meeting in the ROK in May 2010, the standards regulatory authorities of the three countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing A Partnership Framework on Standards Cooperation in Japan in December 2010, and reached agreement on setting up a standing committee for trilateral standards cooperation to further improve the planning and coordination of cooperation. The 11th Northeast Asia Standards Cooperation Forum & 2012 CJK Standing Committee Meeting on Standards Cooperation was held in Chengdu, China in April 2012.

Since 2003, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ) has strengthened cooperation and exchanges in metrology with its counterparts in Japan and the ROK on the basis of the China-Japan memorandum of understanding (MOU) on metrology cooperation and the China-ROK protocol for metrology cooperation. Trilateral seminars on metrology are held in the ROK, Japan and China on an annual basis.

The national metrology institutes of China, Japan and the ROK jointly initiated the Asian Collaboration on Certified Reference Materials (ACRM) program for the purpose of conducting joint studies and development of CRMs with reliable and traceable chemical measurement by combining each other's strengths and technology resources, and providing technological support for regional economic and scientific development. In August 2005, the three parties signed an MOU on Asian CRM collaboration. In October 2010, the MOU was signed for a second time. In May 2005, the three parties jointly published a metrology nomenclature of China, Japan and the ROK.

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