Japanese Foreign Minister Emphasizes Strengthening ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation

PHOTO via Instagram @toshimitsu.motegi

JAKARTA - Japan has pledged to encourage cooperation with Southeast Asian countries to promote economic prosperity, financial stability, and sustainable development among ASEAN Plus Three (APT) countries.

APT consists of 11 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and three partner countries (China, Japan, and South Korea).

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Monday, October 27, attended a summit within the framework of expanding ASEAN in Kuala Lumpur representing Prime Minister (PM) Sanae Takaichi. The meeting was also attended by Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

Takaichi left the Malaysian capital on Sunday evening to return to Japan to welcome US President Donald Trump's visit.

In a joint statement, ASEAN member states and the three countries emphasized the importance of their collective efforts in regional economic and financial cooperation, as well as in advancing inclusive and sustainable development amid uncertain global situations.

They also expressed a commitment to strengthening cooperation that promotes economic prosperity, financial stability, and sustainable development, stressing that "this collaboration must be based on mutual respect, trust and mutual benefit."

Motegi emphasized the importance of collaboration in the framework of APT in the field of finance and food security, as well as alluding to other issues such as disaster prevention, population aging, and organized crime.

He said Japan is ready to work closely with China and South Korea to advance future-oriented cooperation that also benefits ASEAN.

Japan will also seek to host the top meeting of the three countries as current group leaders, he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as Chair of ASEAN this year, stressed the need to strengthen inter-state engagement and continue the formation of medical supply reserves forAPT.

"To prepare for a future health emergency, our job is clear: to ensure fair growth, mutual prosperity, and progress that brings peace," said Anwar.

APT's dialogue has been focused on regional economic cooperation, including strengthening themanfaat Mai's Multilateralization Initiative, the scarcity of provision of emergency liquidity formed after the 1997 Asian financial crisis.