Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shigru Ishiba will visit Vietnam and Philippines next week, officials said on Wednesday, as Tokyo wants to increase regional relations after Donald Trump’s tariff attack.
The 27-30 April Travel Following the visit to South-East Asia by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing tried to keep himself in position as a stable option for the United States as leaders face Trump’s levy.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, “Strengthening relations with a global development center and strategic space with South East Asia is one of the top priorities of Japanese diplomacy.”
“Relationships with Vietnam and the Philippines have special significance, their population exceeds 100 million and as they continue their strong economic growth.”
Xi urged Vietnam last week to “oppose unilateral bullying and maintain the stability of the global free trade system to join the army with China.
Hours later, Trump said that Xi’s visit to Hanoi was the goal of “screwing” the United States.
Despite being a major American ally and largest investor in the United States, Japan has been pinned by tariffs on the import of cars, steel and aluminum by Trump.
Some Japanese companies, allegedly, are rapidly changing production in Vietnam and its neighbor Cambodia, including gaming giant Nintendo, partially due to a decline from the previous American-China trade war.
An official statement from Manila said that Ishiba will visit the Philippines on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
A meeting between Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos will aim to deepen and improve the exchange of people with political and defense attachments and people.
Japan is a major security partner of the Philippines, and an agreement that will allow them to deploy soldiers in each other, waiting for the permission by Tokyo.
In January, the two countries vowed to strengthen cooperation to combat China’s works in the disputed South China Sea – Japan promised to increase the “maritime security” and “marine security capabilities” of the Philippines.
