Photo: Courtesy of Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat

The Chinese character for "future" was selected as the CJK Spirit Word of the Year 2025, the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) announced on Wednesday. Lee Hee-sup, secretary-general of TCS, stated that "future" reflects the optimism and determination of the people of China, ­Japan, and South Korea to build closer ties in the future.   

"'Future' not only represents the dimension of time, but also symbolizes innovation, cooperation, and mutual growth." Lee said. "This word serves as a reminder that while we may face challenges today, our shared future holds immense potential."

Wang Deyan, director of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at North China University of Technology, told the Global Times that there are positive expectations and anticipation for the future of trilateral relations.

"China, Japan, and South Korea face one another across mountains and seas, and belong to the East Asian cultural sphere. Our cultures are similar and interconnected with a long history of exchanges," he said.

"Given our geographical proximity, cultural commonality, and shared interests, I believe we will undoubtedly overcome challenges and move toward a better future," Wang noted.

Among the six groups of Chinese character candidates in this selection, "未来/未來 (future)" received 3,136 votes, the highest number, making it the winner. "友好 (friendly)" and "理解 (understand)" ranked second and third with 3,017 votes and 2,939 votes respectively, according to the TCS.

From November 1 to November 30, a total of 15,299 netizens from these three countries participated in the voting, marking a 52 percent increase compared to that of the previous year. The Annual Chinese Characters of 2023 and 2024 were "和合 (harmony)" and "交流 (exchange)" respectively.

The TCS was established in 2011 in Seoul, South Korea by the governments of China, Japan, and South Korea to promote deeper cooperation. Since its establishment, the TCS has supported cooperation among the three countries, organizing numerous cooperation projects in areas such as trade and economy, culture, youth, media, and disaster control, becoming one of the main platforms for deepening trilateral cooperation.

Voting for the selection took place from November 1 to December 1, 2024 with citizens of the three countries casting their votes via the official event website, as well as through social media platforms such as Sina Weibo, WeChat, X, Facebook and Instagram.

"Amid the growing interaction and exchanges between young people from China and South ­Korea, the concept of 'future' has become particularly important," Kim Yeon, a South Korean ­student studying in Beijing, told the Global Times.

"Recently, China's implementation of a visa-free policy for South Koreans has created a more relaxed environment for South Koreans to visit China for tourism, study, and work," she said. "Last month, my family took advantage of this opportunity to visit me in China, and the visa-free policy made our reunion much more convenient."

"Some of my South Korean friends have told me they plan to come to China this year," the South Korean student added.