EU seeks ‘more active role’ in Asia-Pacific

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who called the Indo-Pacific “a thriving region,” also said it is “a theatre of tensions.”

“The EU wants to take a more active role in the Indo-Pacific. We want to take more responsibility in a region so vital to our prosperity,” she said.

The US in its policy towards Asia and China uses “Indo-Pacific” to refer to the wider Asia-Pacific region where it has Japan, India and Australia as its major partners to contain China’s “rise.”

Von der Leyen along with EU Council President Charles Michel met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo for the 28th Japan-EU summit.

Lauding Japan’s “strong stance” on Russia’s war in Ukraine, she said the war showed that “the future of a rules-based world order” is “at stake” and Japan understands it.

During a news conference, the two sides said they agreed to cooperate to realize a “free and open” Indo-Pacific besides ensuring “economic and energy security.”

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shakes the foundation of international order not just covering Europe but also Asia and is absolutely impermissible,” Kishida said.

Calling for strengthening bilateral ties with “deep and dynamic relationship united by the fundamental values of democracy and rule of law,” Michel said the EU-Japan cooperation on Ukraine is “critical in Europe but it’s also important in the Indo-Pacific.”