Japan-India Summit Updates Security Cooperation Declaration, Expresses Deep Concerns Over China
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday, August 29. After the meeting, they issued a "Joint Vision" for the next 10 years and revised the "Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation" for the first time in 17 years, explicitly expressing "deep concerns" about China's actions in the East China Sea and South China Sea. The two countries will deepen cooperation within the framework of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). Modi stated in Tokyo that India and Japan will "shape the Asian century."
The Central News Agency cited reports from Sankei Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun, stating that Ishiba welcomed Modi's visit at the beginning of the meeting, emphasizing it was "an opportunity to set the direction of cooperation for the next 10 years." Modi responded by saying, "In the current international situation, cooperation between India and Japan is extremely important." The meeting lasted about an hour and a half, during which they formulated the "Joint Vision," summarized the direction of cooperation for the next 10 years, and issued a joint statement.
This is Modi's second visit to Japan since attending the G7 summit held in Hiroshima City in May 2023.
The Japan-India joint statement lists defense and security cooperation as a priority area, explicitly expressing "deep concerns" about China's activities in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Japan and India also revised the "Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation" signed in 2008, incorporating enhanced cooperation within the Quad framework, as well as expanding joint military training and intelligence sharing between Japan and India.
The statement mentions the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue," stating that "to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity, we are determined to advance cooperation among like-minded countries through multilateral frameworks."
Ishiba said in a joint press conference after the meeting, "The two countries have a responsibility to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region."
The "Joint Vision" lists eight priority areas for cooperation, including the economy, economic security, mobility, environment, technological innovation, healthcare, cultural exchanges, and exchanges between local governments.
Regarding Japanese investment in India, former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga proposed in 2022 a target of "5 trillion yen in combined public and private investment within five years." This time, the target has been updated to encourage Japanese private enterprises to expand investment in India, with an investment goal of 10 trillion yen, and to achieve two-way talent exchanges of more than 500,000 people within five years, especially outstanding digital talents from Japan.
The two sides also reached an agreement on the cooperation framework in areas such as economic security and artificial intelligence (AI).
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841847763287114/
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