The third “C” is combined effort. The shared experience of working together is the best stimulus for solidarity, and the Abe administration is promoting practical cooperation with regional partners. Japan and the United States conduct joint cruise training in the South China Sea and other places. I would like to reiterate my support for Freedom of Navigation Operations by the U.S. Navy in the South China Sea. They represent the U.S. resolve to maintain the open, free and peaceful international maritime order.
Australia is Japan’s Special Strategic Partner. Our partnership comes natural, as Japan and Australia have shared values, shared interests and shared concerns. The Japan-Australia security partnership provides an added layer of stability to the region and beyond. I will continue to work closely with Minister Payne to make our defense cooperation stronger. Japan’s another Special Strategic Partner is India. Japan has been conducting bilateral and trilateral training with Australia and India together with the United States. Japan and India have agreed to seek further coordination between Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” and India’s “Act East Policy.”
Japan also welcomes European countries’ presence in the region, as strong advocates of the rule of law. The recent joint training between Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States indicates that our cooperation is now at a new stage. I would like to revisit the point then-Defense Minister of France, Mr. Le Drian, who is the predecessor of Ms. Goulard, made last year, here at the Shangri-La Dialogue. In his important speech, Minister Le Drian encouraged a regular and visible presence of European navies in this region. I strongly support this initiative by France.
I believe that these three “C”s will strengthen our solidarity, which will be necessary to defend a rules-based regional order. As a beneficiary of such an order, as are all of you, Japan will promote the three “C”s even more proactively.
Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time for us to join together and address our shared challenges. My personal motto is “tradition and creation”: for any tradition to survive, creativity is required. In order for us to maintain and ensure the long-cherished traditions and norms that have underpinned the prosperity of the region, we must demonstrate our resourcefulness to overcome differences of interests and move forward together toward our common objectives. Only in this way can we bring about a region that is more stable and more prosperous.Thank you. |
