China's Communist Party Strengthens Ecological Protection and Overseas Cooperation

It stressed the need to maintain a firm grasp on responsibility, strengthen awareness of the larger picture, maintain a strict tone, and be willing to tackle tough issues, while continuously identifying and resolving problems to enhance the implementation of the Party's ecological civilization construction decisions. The meeting also highlighted the importance of inspecting and supervising the work of central and state organs, discovering problems, and thoroughly rectifying them. Furthermore, the meeting noted that 2025 is a crucial year for advancing full coverage of inspections, and it is essential to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era.

The meeting concluded by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a problem-oriented approach, a strict tone, and focusing on key issues, areas, and objects, while strengthening supervision over "top leaders" and leadership teams. It also stressed the need to adhere to a systemic perspective, exert comprehensive supervisory functions, and form a strong work synergy by coordinating inspections with other forms of supervision.

In related news, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong attended the 11th trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo on March 22. Wang Yi emphasized that cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea is one of the most solid, mechanized, and promising collaborative frameworks in East Asia. He noted that the three countries should revisit the consensus of "facing history and looking to the future," uphold the spirit of cooperation, and promote the "1+1+1>3" effect to benefit the three countries, the region, and the world.

The foreign ministers agreed to maintain the momentum of cooperation, deepen practical cooperation in key areas, and expand new fields of cooperation. They also emphasized the importance of promoting free trade, supporting the construction of the ASEAN Community, and maintaining regional peace and stability. However, the current turmoil in South Korea's political landscape may have a ripple effect on the cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea. Although the political upheaval in South Korea does not directly impact the scheduling of the leaders' meeting, it may influence the dynamics between Japan and South Korea, which in turn could indirectly affect the trilateral cooperation.

Experts believe that the primary focus areas of the China-Japan-South Korea trilateral cooperation, including economic development, multilateral trade, and people-to-people exchanges, will remain unaffected by the changes in South Korea's domestic politics. Nevertheless, the ongoing conflict between progressive and conservative parties in South Korea is likely to be reflected in the country's relations with Japan, potentially even hindering the development of bilateral relations between the two countries if the opposition party were to come into power. As a result, it is crucial to closely monitor the developments in South Korea's domestic politics to ensure the smooth progression of the trilateral cooperation.