Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu (L), Seiichi Kondo (C), Commissioner for Cultural Affairs of Japan and Yu In-Chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea display the Nara Manifesto during the 3rd China-Japan-South Korea Ministerial Conference on Culture in Nara, Japan, Jan. 19, 2011. (Xinhua/Ma Xinghua)

Cultural ministers from China, Japan and South Korea participating the 3rd China-Japan-Korea Ministerial Conference on Culture held in Nara, Japan on Wednesday reached broad consensus on promoting cultural exchange and cooperation.

Cai Wu, Minister of Culture of the People's Republic of China, Takaki Yoshiaki, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Yu In-Chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea attended the meeting organized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Cai Wu, Takaki and Yu In-Chon delivered keynote speech at the meeting. Cai Wu said in his speech that China, Japan and Korea are close neighbors with long and deep historical and cultural origins. In the 21st century, China, Japan and Korea have made significant progress in political, economic and cultural cooperation, which provides an unprecedented historical opportunity for the cultural cooperation among the three countries.

Takaki noted that cultural exchange is the basis for the formation of regional awareness and building of mutual trust, and the China-Japan-Korea Ministerial Conference on Culture should contribute to promote the closer cooperation between China, Japan, Korea and the prosperity and stability of the East Asia area. Yu In-Chon said in his speech that culture is the mirror of life and the cultural exchanges among China, Japan and Korea is the link to promote the mutual understanding and feelings among the people of the three countries.

Cai Wu recalled in his speech the progress of China-Japan-Korea cultural cooperation, pointed out that the trilateral cooperation should focus on the world and development, with a strategic and long-term plan; the trilateral cooperation should fully respect and meet the cultural needs of the people of the three countries to consolidate public opinion; it is also necessary to correctly grasp the trend of world development and keep pace with the times. He also gave a Five-point Advice that in order to achieve long- term development in cultural field, we should strengthen the institutionalization of the trilateral cultural exchange; we should strengthen the cooperation in cultural industries; we should focus on the cultural exchange and cooperation among the youth of the three countries; we should explore the possibility of the cooperation in non-traditional fields; we should also strengthen the cooperation in the protection of intangible cultural heritages.

Chinese Culture Minister Cai Wu (L), Seiichi Kondo (C), Commissioner for Cultural Affairs of Japan and Yu In-Chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea shakes hands after signing the Nara Manifesto during the 3rd China-Japan-South Korea Ministerial Conference on Culture in Nara, Japan, Jan. 19, 2011. (Xinhua/Ma Xinghua)

The speech of the Chinese representative was highly approved by the attendants. The ministers of the three countries also exchanged opinions on specific issues such as establishing a cultural affair level contact mechanism, a joint attempt in art creation and the idea of Asian Art Cities. After the meeting, Cai Wu, Takaki, Yu In-chon signed the "Nara Declaration" under the "China-Japan-Korea cooperation in Outlook 2020" in the spirit of strengthening cultural cooperation to further strengthen the cooperation in art, intangible cultural heritage, and cultural industry. They also reached an agreement that the 4th China-Japan-Korea Ministerial Conference on Culture be held in China next year.