[ad_1]
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Japan is cooperating more and more with Vietnam. The country will supply military equipment and technology to the country.
The security agreement was made when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited Hanoi on Monday (10/19/2020). The two countries agreed to strengthen their military and their businesses amid fears of increasing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea (SCS).
“This is a security measure for both countries,” Suga said when meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, as reported. Reuters.
He stressed that Japan was against any step to increase tensions at sea. Where Vietnam and several ASEAN countries have territorial disputes with China.
“On the issue of SCS, it is important for all affected countries not to depend on force or threats, but to work together towards a peaceful resolution, in accordance with international law,” he said, without mentioning anti-Chinese rhetoric.
So said Phuc. He stressed that both agreed to maintain freedom of navigation and flight in the LCS.
“Vietnam welcomes Japan, a world power, to continue to actively contribute to regional and global peace and stability,” he said.
Japan previously argued with China over ownership of Senkaku / Diaoyu Island. Japan also joined QUAD, an alliance with the United States (US), India and Australia that aims to “oppose” China in Asia.
Japan and the three QUAD countries will even hold joint military exercises. The plan is for the exercise to take place in the Bay of Bengal.
But economically, Japan has strong ties to China. Only in 2018, launch Associated Press Both countries have signed 500 agreements worth $ 18 billion.
Meanwhile, Vietnam has the problem of overlapping the Paracels Island property on the LCS. As is known, China claims 80% of its SCS territory.
As a result of China’s growing enthusiasm for the sea, several foreign media have reported that Vietnam was forced to postpone its energy exploration due to the “disruption” in Beijing. The country is also forced to pay fines to contractors.
Japan itself has lifted the ban on arms sales since 2014. In addition to Vietnam, arms export talks with Indonesia and Thailand are said to be also being discussed.
Factory relocation
Suga’s visit to Vietnam was also to diversify its manufacturing supply chain and reduce dependence on China. Japan plans’disengage‘and moved the factory to Southeast Asia.
Vietnam is a popular choice for Japanese companies. Earlier, the Sakura government promised to spend 23.5 billion yen to “persuade” the industry to move investment from China.
Yesterday, Suga and Phuc witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for Japan’s Marubeni Corp. to invest US $ 1.3 billion in a power plant in the Vietnamese province of Can Tho. And the investment of Tokyo Gas Co Ltd and PetroVietnam Power Corp to develop a gas power plant worth 1.9 billion dollars.
(Head to head)
