Tokyo is trying to strengthen regional ties after US President Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught, with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba leaving on Sunday ( Apr 27 ) for a four-day trip to Vietnam and the Philippines.
Ishiba’s vacation comes after Xi Jinping, the president of China, conducted his own South Asian journey, with Beijing trying to position itself as a reliable partner to the US as leaders fight to oppose Trump’s tariffs.
Before heading for the journey, Ishiba referred to Vietnam and the Philippines as a “growth center” that is boosting the world economy along with the remainder of Southeast Asia.
However, he claimed that Donald Trump’s extensive tariffs had have “major effects” on them. He even warned that Chinese businesses operating in the area could also suffer.
We want to take into account the viewpoints and problems of Japanese companies in the area when implementing the tax measures, he said.
Despite being the biggest investment in the US, Trump has imposed severe tariffs on the imports of cars, metal, and aluminum.
Although the US leader has stopped his “reciprocal” duty of 24 %, the nation is included in Trump’s blanket 10 % levy.
Trump also put a stop to “reciprocal” duties of 46 % on Vietnam and 49 % on Cambodia, where it is believed that some Chinese companies have increased their share of output in recent years, partially to prevent the effects of the most recent US-China trade war.
Ishiba is also anticipated to raise concerns about China’s growing anger in the East and South China Sea.
In the East China Sea, guard ships from China and Japan frequently engage in risky confrontations around disputed territories.
In the fiercely contested South China Sea, Vietnam and the Philippines have even experienced uncomfortable territorial disputes involving Chinese vessels.
We would like to expand our safety cooperation with Hanoi and Manila, according to Ishiba, because there are attempts by China to formally alter the status quo by force.