Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba participated in the East Asia Summit (EAS) held in Vientiane on Friday. The summit included Japan, the United States, China, Russia, and the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Notable attendees at the meeting were U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The agenda for the summit included discussions on various issues such as the situation in the East and South China Seas, Taiwan, and Ukraine. Ishiba aimed to express a commitment to defending a free and open international order based on the rule of law. This statement was seen as a reference to China’s maritime expansion activities and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Given recent tensions in the South China Sea with incidents involving Chinese ships ramming Philippine vessels, Ishiba intended to appeal to all participating countries not to tolerate any unilateral attempts to change the status quo through force.
In addition to his participation at EAS, Ishiba had a brief conversation with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during which they discussed strengthening trilateral security cooperation between Japan, the United States, and the Philippines. Ishiba expressed his willingness to deepen cooperation with the Philippines amidst an increasingly challenging security environment in their region.
Furthermore, Ishiba met with Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone who hosted ASEAN summit events. He also attended a welcome ceremony held in Vientiane on Friday morning.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s presence at EAS showcased Japan’s commitment towards maintaining regional stability while addressing key concerns related to territorial disputes and security challenges faced by countries within East Asia.