In 1992，Korea and China established diplomatic relations. By coincidence，I was in Beijing when the news of the signing ceremony was announced. Three years later, I went to Beijing again，and studied Chinese language in Beijing University. Within the following 10 years，I served twice in China at the Korean Embassy in Beijing. Looking back to 20 years ago, in the early 1990s，I remember that China was still somehow mystery to foreign people. China’s doors were not yet completely open to the outside world.

In the past 20 years, the change of China was not just about statistic numbers and fast-emerging skyscrapers in Beijing and Shanghai. The real changes of China have been the openness, inclusivity, self-confidence, as well as widened international view. Such transition has been found among China’s young generations, the so called “post 80' s” of China, who were just about 10-year-old primary school students in the early 1990s. At that time，they were still educated by old conceptions such as “Peaceful Transition”. Who could have imagined that 20 years later, this generation would grow up, lead and drive the process of changes, also start to think deeply about the future of China and the world.

Muhui is one of such China' s new generations that I know. I first met him at the interview for the recruitment of research staff in our Secretariat. His calmness, self-confidence,as well as his plan and dream for future life-to become a diplomat, impressed me deeply. The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat is the first intergovernmental organization among China, Japan and Korea, which marks a new era for the trilateral cooperation. I am happy to see that Muhui could join the Secretariat as a founding member. I am happier to see young people from China, Japan and Korea could move away from their past prejudice and conflict, work and mingle together in the Secretariat, increase mutual understanding and trust. They are enthusiastic,creative, willing and good at communicating with people from other nations and cultures. They have their own views towards future paths for the trilateral cooperation. I believe under the roof of the Secretariat, these younger people are making a new history. In other words, the future of the trilateral cooperation depends on them.

As one of China' s “post 80' s”, Muhui has a lot of experiences which could be admired by people of his age. He has been living，studying and working in diverse countries including China， Japan，Korea，United States and Hong Kong before thirty years old. More importantly，he read and thought about different cultures,wrote down his observations and analysis of diverse cultures,societies and social systems,and compiled them all into this book. Possibly benefited from his work experience in media,I could feel that he has acute journalist eyes and unique perspectives displayed by his insights and penetrating criticisms throughout the book. From school life to society，culture，and furthermore，political systems，the book tells his experiences and observations step by step. For a less than thirty year-old youngster,this book is completely a new endeavor for him,but also a valuable asset in his life.

Through his book, I see one Chinese elite' s self-introspection of the current Chinese society and his hope for China' s prosperous future. I wish Muhui' s comparative observation on China,Japan and United States could bring more inspirations to readers. I also look forward to reading his next work which will reflect his understandings of Korean society，as well as his thoughts and plans regarding the trilateral cooperation among China,Japan and Korea.

Secretary General

Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat