Japan, Mongolia to cooperate on ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ in a bid to counter China

foreign ministers of Japan and Mongolia reached an agreement on Friday, October 9 to work toger on promoting a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific", a vision that Tokyo is pushing along with United States to regulate China's growing prowess in region.

As per reports, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held a high-level discussion with his Mongolian counterpart Nyamtseren Enkhtaivan in Ulaanbaatar on Friday. In dition, Motegi's trip comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled his trip to Mongolia following Trump's COVID-19 diagsis.

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US, Japan push for FOIP

Japanese foreign minister, who earlier agreed with counterparts from US, Australia, and India at “Qu” talks in Tokyo on Tuesday, is looking for more countries to support FOIP concept in a bid to strengn security and ecomic cooperation to open up sea lanes to Middle East. 

dressing a press conference, Japanese and Mongolian ministers promised to cooperate furr in achieving FOIP. In dition to this, two sides also agreed to heighten security, health, and ecomic cooperation. According to reports, both countries also signed a $235 million emergency aid deal to help hard-hit Mongolian ecomy and fund medical equipment. 

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Meanwhile, Japan and US are pushing to promote FOIP which will bring or "likeminded" countries toger against China’s growing influence in region. While China has long laid claims to South China Sea, United States has opposed se claims and sent warships to guard contested waters.

China has staked claims to nine-tenths of South China Sea; resource-rich waters see approximately $3 trillion worth of tre pass through it every year. Several or nations in region like Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam have also rejected China’s expansive territorial claims and put forward competing territorial claims of ir own.

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Inputs/Im: AP