REALISING FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC
Japan and Malaysia’s common vision for the region enables them to contribute to maritime order and free trade, says Kentaro Sonoura, the special adviser to the Japanese PM in a written interview with the NST
Q:What is the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and why is it important? A: Freedom of navigation and openness of sea lanes which extend from East Africa to the west coast of North and South America are of vital importance to the entire world. Moreover, enhanced connectivity will ensure economic prosperity of the region as a whole.
Japan’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific is based on such a deep-rooted recognition. Our vision is straightforward:
will endeavour to promote and maintain the fundamental principles of international order such as rule of law, freedom of navigation and free trade, which are the foundation of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific;
will pursue economic prosperity through improving connectivity with quality infrastructure; and,
will fulfil our commitment to peace and stability of the region particularly through efforts such as capacity-building assistance as well as cooperation in such fields as HA/DR (humanitarian assistance/disaster relief ), anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, and non-proliferation.
Q: How can the region benefit from such a vision?
A: As Asean is the centre of growth in this region and resides at the connecting point of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, Asean members hold the key to the realisation of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The countries in the region are deeply dependent on international trade for their development and prosperity. This, in turn, hinges not only on peace and stability but also on free, open and a rule-based international order. A free and open Indo-Pacific no doubt sets the foundation for achieving these prerequisites for regional prosperity.
Q: What hurdles stand in the way of implementing such a vision?
A: There are a number of challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region, such as piracy, terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, natural disasters and illegal fishing, to name but a few. The nature of these challenges requires that we should make concerted efforts to rid the region of them. An overarching vision such as a free and open Indo-Pacific has not been sought after more than it is today.
Q: What needs to be done to reap the benefits of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision?
A: First and foremost, a shared vision has to be created. In a world where challenges are so formidable and diverse that no one country can solve them alone, a common vision needs to be shared by as many countries as possible to take action. Fortunately, the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific has earned tremendous support from many countries, especially in the Asean region.
Japan welcomes the initiative being taken by Asean to formulate an Asean take on the IndoPacific cooperation, which has striking similarity to our vision in many important ways.
Secondly, in order for us to reap the benefits of the vision, we have to take action. The actions can take many different forms with different magnitudes depending on the type of challenge we are dealing with.
Among others, enhancing regional connectivity through expanding a web of quality infrastructure, ramping up maritime security cooperation and propagating a rule-based order including freedom of navigation and a free-trade system are of great importance.