On Monday, August 25, NEAR Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin attended the 4th Northeast Asia Local Cooperation Roundtable, a key session of the 15th China–Northeast Asia Expo, co-hosted by NEAR, the Jilin Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, and the Jilin Provincial Department of Commerce. He delivered congratulatory remarks at the opening.
Held under the theme “Building the Future of Northeast Asia Together Through the Power of Cooperation and Exchange,” the Roundtable gathered together more than 160 participants, including Chinese officials and senior representatives from NEAR member governments. Notable participants on the Chinese side included Hu Yuting, Governor of Jilin Province and NEAR member representative; Lu Xiangdong, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Liu Kai, Vice Governor of Jilin Province; and Liu Wei, Secretary-General of the Provincial Government.
Distinguished overseas guests included Lee Hee-seop, Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS); Yeo Jung-hyeop, Vice Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Korea; Park Yang-woo, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea; Kang Haeng-gu, Acting Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Shenyang; Le Tumurchudur, Governor of Tuv Aimag, Mongolia; Jijikheng Saynchog, Vice Governor of Selenge Aimag, Mongolia; Ravil Akhmetshin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia; Ma Jung-su, Consul General of the DPRK in Shenyang; and Takashi Hamada, Consul General of Japan in Shenyang.
In his remarks, Secretary-General Lim highlighted NEAR’s growth into the largest intergovernmental cooperation body among local governments in Northeast Asia, emphasizing the Secretariat’s commitment to expanding practical exchanges through its subcommittees. He reaffirmed that “despite the shifting international landscape, NEAR will continue to pursue cooperation for shared prosperity and peace,” while noting Jilin Province as a key partner. He expressed hope that the Roundtable would mark a milestone in strengthening solidarity and cooperation among local governments in the region.
(From left) Yeo Joong-hyup, Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, and Lee Hee-seop, Secretary-General of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS)
(From left) Kim Yong-deok, President of the Korea-China Exchange Association; Park Yang-woo, Former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and Yeo Joong-hyup, Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province
Buur Chudur, Governor of Tuv Province; Jijikheng Sainchog, Vice Governor of Selenge Province; and other members of the Mongolian delegation
- Ravil Akhmedshin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia -
- Ruslan Zalybatsky, Adviser to the Governor of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia, and other members of the Russian delegation -
- (From left) Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak District; Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District; and Lim Byung-taek, Mayor of Siheung City-
- (From left) Minoru Ryo, Director-General of the Department of Environment and Civic Affairs, Shimane Prefecture, and Shuichiro Matsuo, Section Chief -
- Takashi Hamada, Consul General of Japan in Shenyang -
- Kang Haeng-gu, Deputy Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Shenyang -
First launched by Jilin Province in 2019 alongside the China–Northeast Asia Expo, the Roundtable has become a high-level multilateral platform for dialogue. At this 4th session, local governments, enterprises, and diplomatic representatives from six Northeast Asian countries—China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and the DPRK—gathered to discuss practical cooperation in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, and cultural tourism.