Japan has proposed a new Free and Open Indo-Pacific or FOIP strategy, with more cooperation and funding for the Indo-Pacific region, according to a highly placed and informed source.
The new FOIP improves on the earlier version introduced in 2016, and has broader scope for cooperation with the countries in the Indo-Pacific region as well as emerging countries in all parts of the world.
According to the new FOIP, Japan is committed to spending a total of US$100 million (3.41 billion baht) in Southeast Asia to improve so-called multi-layered connectivity, one of the four pillars of the strategy. The money will go into the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. The new FOIP will also seeknowledge, human and digital connectivity.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Japan has been a leading voice in Asia against the use of force by a stronger country against a weaker state. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan would like to use its FOIP as a guiding perspective for an increase in cooperation and the promotion of peace and stability.
Over the past several years, the world has become increasingly bifurcated, with more complicated issues confronting mankind, such as climate change, food security and health security, among others.
Japan has already applied for comprehensive strategic partnership of ASEAN, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN diplomatic relationships. The ASEANleaders will make the decision in September, when they meet in Jakarta at the ASEAN Secretariat.
There are currently at least 11 Indo-Pacific strategies from four corners of the world. At the ASEAN-related summit in Phnom Penh, the bloc’s leaders welcomed all the frameworks and added that they will complement the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The AOIP was issued in 2019 in Bangkok and will serve as a guideline for all partnerships that would like to link up with ASEAN in the future. It covers key areas of maritime cooperation, sustainable development, connectivity, economic affairs and other possible areas of cooperation.
At the Phnom Penh summit, ASEAN also agreed on ways and means to mainstream the AOIP.
