During two critical meetings, Prime Minister Abe’s visit to France
in May 2019, followed by President Macron’s visit to Japan in June of
the same year, several elements were highlighted that demonstrate
a close convergence of analysis on the strategic situation in the
Indo-Pacific region. This convergence paves the way for increased
opportunities for cooperation. Internal evolutions on defense-related
issues in Japan since 2012 have made this type of cooperation
more accessible. On the French side, a more assertive ambition for
engagement in a critical area has been expressed on many occasions.
Topic:
Diplomacy, International Cooperation, Bilateral Relations, Territorial Disputes, and Strategic Stability
What is at stake today in the Indo-Pacific, is not only strategic
stability and territorial issues, but also the defence and support of an
international order based on democratic values and multilateralism.
These values comprise respect for the rule of law, transparency,
particularly concerning defence policy, military budget, financial
institutions or ODA attribution policy, but also the denunciation of
the use of force or threat to use force to solve territorial or other
issues and of course the respect for global commons and freedom of
navigation. In that respect, the evolution of the situation in the IndoPacific is of global interest, including for the European Union and its
member States.
These democratic values constitute the core of the liberal
international order and are more broadly accepted as universal
norms, including in the Asia Pacific. Asean, for instance, a leading
player in the region, favours the signature of a code of conduct in
the South China sea based on these values in spite of the attachment
of its member States, to the principles of non-interference and
sovereignty
Topic:
Defense Policy, History, Power Politics, Territorial Disputes, and Democracy
For both Japan and the European Union, deepening their
partnership in an increasingly unstable world has become an
essential element, if not yet a priority. Since he came to power in
2012, Prime Minister Abe and his cabinet understand the importance
of expanding cooperation opportunities for Japan beyond the scope
of traditional alliances in order to implement the concept of proactive
contribution to peace. This is also a priority for the European Union,
that, like its most prominent member States, understands that the
EU’s Asia policy cannot be summed up to its relations with China.
Topic:
Bilateral Relations, European Union, Partnerships, and Strategic Stability