SHANGHAI - The cultural ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) signed a joint action plan in Shanghai on Saturday to boost cultural cooperation between the three countries.

According to the Shanghai Action Plan (2012-2014), the three parties will step up cooperation in protecting cultural heritage and conduct more exchanges between their respective cultural industries.

Minister of Culture Cai Wu said China, Japan and the ROK have always sought common ground and preserved their differences in cultural matters.

"Culture is exerting great power, as the economy in northeast Asia becomes more integrated into the world economy," Cai said, adding that many problems can be readily solved through the deepening of cultural cooperation.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations, as well as the 20th anniversary of the forging of China-ROK diplomatic ties. China and Japan, and China and the ROK have planned a series of events to boost their ties.

Hinaro Hirofumi, Japan's minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology, said the Shanghai Action Plan is a "very workable document," and the three sides have reached consensus on the importance and value of culture.

Choe Kwang Shik, the ROK's minister of culture,sports and tourism, used a quote taken from Confucius ("a gentleman gets along with others, but does not necessarily agree with them") to describe the three countries' cultural exchanges.

He said the three countries have a long way to go in regards to boosting cooperation in their cultural industries.