Premier Zhu Rongji, during his visit to Japan in 2002, reached a consensus with former Japanese Prime Minister MoriYoshiro on launching activities of Chinese Cultural Year and Japanese Cultural Year in 2002. In the same year, Premier Zhu visited ROK where he and Korean President Kim Dae-jung agreed to set the year 2002 as Exchange Year Between Chinese and Korean People. During the 2000 ASEAN and China-Japan-Korea (10+3) Conference, the leaders of China, Japan and Korea came to a general agreement to start an Exchange Year among Chinese, Japanese and Korean in 2002. Currently the three countries are in active preparations for governmental and non-governmental exchange activities, program of entertainment and exhibitions.

The rich and colorful Cultural Year and Exchange Year activities, supported by the government of the three nations, are conducted mainly among the people. They aim to promote mutual understanding and friendly relationship in the coming 21st century and push forward Asian and world peace and development through bilateral and trilateral activities among the peoples of the three nations.

The Cultural Year and the Exchange Year activities will go through the whole year, focusing on the opening ceremony dated at the end of March or the beginning of April and activities marking the anniversary of establishment of Sino-Korean diplomatic relations and of resumption of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations.