Leaders of APT states discuss cooperation, Ukraine: Japan FM

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 Nov 2022 12:18

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other leaders of the countries participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (ASEAN Plus Three) summit.

President Moon Jae-in (eighth from left) on Nov. 4 poses for a group photo with the heads of state attending the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

The situation in the Indo-Pacific, the situation in Ukraine, and the region surrounding DPRK were topics of discussion between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other leaders of the nations attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three (ASEAN Plus Three) summit in Cambodia, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

"Prime Minister Kishida expressed Japan’s intention to steadily promote initiatives, including in new areas such as the digital economy and resilient agriculture, based on the new ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan starting next year," the message released following the summit read.

The leaders of the region discussed cooperation during the meeting in areas like maritime partnerships and sustainable development objectives.

On the agenda were a number of regional topics, including the situation in Ukraine, recent DPRK missile launches, and changes in Myanmar. "Prime Minister Kishida expressed his intention to deepen cooperation under ASEAN Plus Three framework in order to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law, not force, in the region," the press release said.

The East Asia Summit will also be held in Cambodia on Saturday. Kishida is anticipated to attend. As part of his tour to Southeast Asia, Kishida will be present at the G20 summit in Indonesia and the APEC summit in Thailand the following week.

The ASEAN Plus Three consists of 10 ASEAN states, as well as China, Japan, and South Korea.