The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan today (Sunday) affirmed to promote a rules-based, free and open Indo-Pacific region embracing the key ASEAN principles.
This was contained in the Joint Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation adopted and approved by the leaders of ASEAN and Japan during the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit marking the 50th year of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation.
“We affirm the shared view to promote a rules-based Indo-Pacific region that is free and open, embraces key principles such as ASEAN’s unity and centrality, inclusiveness, transparency, complements ASEAN community building process, guided by the shared fundamental principles as enshrined in the UN Charter and the TAC, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means, and renunciation of the threat or use of force,” read the statement of the ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Joint Vision.
“We reaffirm our commitment to uphold international law, including the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS],” the statement also indicated.
The parties involved also promised to advance cooperation on mainstreaming the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) that reinforces the key principles of openness, transparency and inclusivity within the evolving ASEAN centered on regional architecture.
Under the vision statement, ASEAN members and Japan vowed to strengthen security cooperation, including maritime security tie up; disarmament and non-proliferation cooperation and working towards a nuclear weapon-free world.
They also made commitments to enhance dialogue and cooperation to promote human rights, democracy and good governance, as well as the rule of law including through legal technical assistance.
At the same time, the parties also promised to advance gender equality including the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda; as well as strengthen cooperation for peace, conflict management, and conflict resolution.
Increased collaboration in cybersecurity, countering terrorism, transnational crime and disinformation were also agreed by the parties.
The leaders also adopted the Implementation Plan of the Joint Vision Statement in order to carry out the declarations in the Joint Vision Statement. *PND*
