• Nishimura stresses importance of promoting digitalization, trade and investment that are free and fair

SIEM REAP (Cambodia): Japan and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed Sunday to create an action plan to strengthen their economic partnership, apparently mindful of China’s growing influence in the region.

At the day’s meeting of economic ministers from Japan and ASEAN countries held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura proposed the creation of such an action plan and the ASEAN ministers supported the proposal.

Holding a press conference after the meeting, Nishimura said, “ASEAN is a region that will grow the most in the world.” He then stressed the importance of promoting digitalization, trade and investment that are free and fair and the strengthening of supply chains so that ASEAN countries can achieve economic growth.

With 2023 marking the 50th year of Japan-ASEAN friendly cooperative relations, the two sides are hoping to work out the action plan swiftly in order to counter China.

Also at Sunday’s meeting, Nishimura presented a plan to realize 100 cases of companies utilizing data to make supply chains more sophisticated over five years and create 100 businesses that address social challenges every year.

JIJI Press