With eye on China, Japan and ASEAN to unveil ‘new vision’ for ties

Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to unveil a “new vision” for cooperation when their leaders meet in Tokyo this weekend for a commemorative gathering as Japan seeks to align the 10-member bloc with its strategy for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” amid concerns over China's growing assertiveness. “While Japan was the stronger economic power in the past, this is changing with an economically ascendant ASEAN,” said Bhubhindar Singh, an associate professor at Singapore’s RSIS. Kei Koga, an associate professor at Singapore's NTU, said that China’s growing economic and political clout in the region has led to not only an intensifying economic tug-of-war with Japan but also a competition over the rules and norms that will shape the future regional order, both in East Asia and beyond. Koga says that Japan’s overall strategic objective is to strengthen ties with all ASEAN member states so as to prevent them from becoming “overly dependent on and taking sides with countries challenging the existing international order, including China, the region’s largest trading partner."

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