South Korea, China and Japan held a ceremony in Seoul on Tuesday marking the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat(TCS). 

TCS is an international organization established in 2011 with the vision to promote peace and common prosperity among the three Asian neighbors. 

TCS Secretary-General Hisashi Michigami stated in the opening address that the three countries have steadily made headway for the past two decades. He said some might say that they have seen slow progress in cooperation due to difficulties in bilateral ties but added that’s not necessarily true in reality. 

All representatives of the three countries emphasized cooperation in their congratulatory addresses but each differed in terms of focus. 

South Korea expressed hope for a South Korea-Japan summit to take place soon, while Japan underlined its active preparation for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. China, on its part, said the three countries must oppose hegemony amid rapidly changing state of affairs in the world in an apparent reference to the U.S. 

South Korea’s Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon said the three countries are at a crossroads with one way leading to leaps in cooperation and the other deadlock.