Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has arrived in Malaysia and will continue his visit to Indonesia as part of efforts to strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia. The visits are a response to growing threats from China in the region, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
This is the first opportunity for Ishiba to hold bilateral talks outside of international meetings. The move demonstrates Japan's commitment to deepening ties with countries in the region in the context of expected changes in US foreign policy after the inauguration of new President Donald Trump.
Malaysia and Indonesia, key regional maritime powers, are strategically important to global security and the economy because of their locations along key sea lanes. The three countries share concerns about China's growing assertiveness.
During his visit to Malaysia, Ishiba met with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss strengthening cooperation on security and supply chain resilience. Malaysia, which holds the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, is responsible for coordinating a range of regional issues.
Tomorrow, the Japanese prime minister will visit Indonesia, where he is expected to sign an agreement with President Prabowo Subianto to provide fast patrol boats. Talks between the two leaders will focus on military cooperation and arms transfers, both of whom have experience as former defense ministers.