Photo/Illutration Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, left, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the Government Office in Hanoi on April 28 (AP Photo/ Pool)

HANOI—Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 28 agreed to maintain a free trade regime in the face of tariffs imposed by the U.S. Trump administration.

Ishiba is currently on a tour of Southeast Asia to discuss the current state of trade, defense and disaster prevention.

Both Ishiba and Chinh affirmed their commitment to cooperate in the international community by contributing to the maintenance and strengthening of a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

They also reached a general agreement on the initial application of Japan’s official security assistance (OSA), including Japan’s provision of defense and other equipment free of charge to Vietnam.

Ishiba said Japan will actively consider specific requests from Vietnam.

These decisions underscore the countries’ concerns about China’s increasing military action in the South China Sea.

Also in the area of security, Ishiba and Chinh agreed to establish a “two-plus-two” framework, with the first meeting of foreign and defense vice ministers to be held in Japan by the end of this year.

The two countries also intend to promote and strengthen cooperation in the field of disaster prevention, including countermeasures against floods and landslides in rural areas of northern Vietnam.

In the field of agriculture, the two countries will formulate a medium- to long-term vision for cooperation this year.

Additionally, they plan to promote digitization and decarbonization to create an agriculture system that will ensure food security in both countries.

Ishiba arrived in Vietnam on April 27.

After visiting Canon Vietnam Co. in the Thang Long Industrial Park in northern Hanoi, he met with To Lam, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Ishiba is scheduled to fly to the Philippines on April 29.

He aims to deepen Japan’s economic and security ties with Southeast Asian nations during his tour as the Trump administration’s involvement in the region grows increasingly uncertain.

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