Press Releases

1. As a follow-up of the Foreign Minister’s meeting on February 18 and Leaders’ Video Conference on March 12, the officials concurred on further advancing practical cooperation among the four countries on quality infrastructure, maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief toward the achievement of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” They also reviewed the progress of discussions in the areas of vaccines, critical and emerging technologies and climate change, where they concurred to launch working groups respectively during the March Leaders' Video Conference. The officials also exchanged views on regional issues such as North Korea, the East and South China Seas and Myanmar.
2. The officials welcomed the fact that a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” is a vision for the peace and prosperity of the region and its importance in the post-COVID world is increasing and that this vision has spread in the international community, including ASEAN and Europe. They reaffirmed the importance of broadening cooperation with more countries for its further achievement. In this regard, the officials reaffirmed their strong support for ASEAN’s unity and centrality as well as the ASEAN-led regional architecture, and their full support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
3. The officials shared the view on continuing regular consultations and on coordinating to hold an in-person summit by the end of this year, in addition to holding a Foreign Minister’s meeting at least once a year, as concurred by the four leaders at the March Leaders’ Video Conference.

(Reference) Participants:

• Japan: Mr. OKANO Masataka , Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy and Mr. ENDO Kazuya, Deputy Director General, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Australia: Mr. Justin Hayhurst, Deputy Secretary (Indo-Pacific Group) and Dr. Lauren Bain, Assistant Secretary, ASEAN and Regional Architecture Branch, from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• India: Ms. Vani Rao, Joint Secretary (Americas) and Mr. Naveen Srivastava, Additional Secretary (East Asia), from Ministry of External Affairs.
• U.S.: Mr. Richard Buangan, Acting Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State and Mr. Dean Thompson, Acting Assistant Secretary (South and Central Asian Affairs), from Department of State.