China, Japan and the Republic of Korea have pledged to cooperate more on cultural activities to boost regional stability and prosperity.

The culture ministers of the three countries made the promise in the "Nantong Declaration" they signed yesterday at the end of the first trilateral ministerial forum in Nantong, a city in China's eastern Jiangsu Province.

The declaration also calls for the signatories to respect cultural diversity and encourage more cultural exchanges between the young people in the three countries.

"I believe we three countries still have lots of space for trilateral exchanges," said Sun Jiazheng, Minister of Culture during the forum, a prelude to the 9th Asia Arts Festival, which opened last night despite Typhoon Wipha.

"We are glad to further our bilateral relationship through cultural exchanges with China," said Tamotsu Aoki, the Japanese commissioner for the agency of cultural affairs. "We are interested in China's classic arts and culture, and we will share our modern novels and animation in response."

The three parties also agreed to encourage joint efforts to preserve cultural heritage and other scholarly work.

With the theme of "Hearts' Expectation New Future", the week-long Asian Arts Festival will feature a variety of performances and exhibitions.

Artists from the three countries will highlight traditional arts and crafts, such as dance, folk opera, drama and mime performances, as well as martial arts and acrobatics. In addition, abacus calculation and calligraphy demonstrations will take place.

Liang Baohua, governor of Jiangsu Province, said the festival would boost culture and the arts in the province.

According to the declaration, the second forum for ministers of culture is going to be held in the Republic of Korea next year.

(China Daily September 21, 2007)