Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to expand cooperation in the field of security and economy in connection with the growing challenges associated with China's aggressive actions in the region. This is stated in the joint statement of the leaders of the countries, which they adopted during the summit in Tokyo, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of their relations.
The statement commits to strengthen maritime security cooperation, improve supply chains, promote sustainable energy practices and expand people-to-people exchanges across industries. The leaders of the countries also announced the launch of a new initiative for the next generation automotive industry and the development of strategies to support ASEAN as a major center for the production and export of automobiles.
Efforts to stimulate the economy in the fast-growing region also include support for digital startups and acceleration of investments to achieve decarbonization. After the summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the strong mutual trust between Japan and the ASEAN countries, and the President of Indonesia, which presides over the association, Joko Widodo, added that the parties will maintain peace and stability in the region by adhering to international law.
It is noted that recently, Japan, trying to resist the growing influence of China, has been actively expanding its ties with ASEAN countries, contributing to the development of the "Global South", in particular, taking into account the disputes in the South China Sea. Japan considers its relations with ASEAN to be strategically important, particularly because of their location in sea lanes and territorial disputes with China. Cooperation between Japan and ASEAN began in 1973 and continues in various fields, including trade and development.
