Sunday, November 17, 2013

Japan PM vows boosted Cambodia ties, topping ASEAN tour



Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) shakes hands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on November 16, 2013 (AFP, Tang Chhin Sothy)


Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday pledged to strengthen ties with Cambodia as part of a tour that completes a round of visits to Southeast Asian countries within a year since taking office.

Abe and the Cambodia leader Hun Sen "shared a commitment to further broadening the bilateral relationship", according to a joint statement released after talks in Phnom Penh.

As part of the wide-ranging talks, the Japanese premier also discussed his "security policy to proactively contribute even further to the peace and stability of the region".

Japan and Cambodia agreed cooperation on a variety of issues, including support from Tokyo on investment, democratic reform and health.

They also discussed the possibility of finalising an agreement to launch direct flights between the two countries.

Abe's trip to Laos on Sunday will mean he has visited all 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since taking power last December.

In contrast, the hawkish premier has not yet held sit-down talks with Chinese and South Korean leaders as Tokyo's ties with its neighbours have been strained by territorial disputes and the legacy of Japan's 20th century wartime aggression.

Japan and Cambodia "underscored the importance of settling maritime disputes by peaceful means", the joint statement said.


It added that both agreed for the need to reach a "code of conduct" in the South China Sea, which is the subject of an array of overlapping claims by Beijing and several ASEAN nations.

Former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi was Japan's last leader to visit Cambodia and Laos purely for bilateral purposes, travelling there in 2000 for talks.

Abe's predecessor, Yoshihiko Noda visited Laos in November last year to attend the Asia-Europe Meeting, which brought together top leaders from the two continents.

Abe is set to meet Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in Vientiane on Sunday.

He has already visited the other ASEAN states -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- since taking office.

He is due to host a special summit with ASEAN leaders in Tokyo from December 13-15 to mark the 40th anniversary of ties between Japan and the regional grouping.


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Japan preminister not talks about irregulairy votes in cambodia ask by Brad Adam human watch in southeast asia{sic] His copy from China gave ad to dictators countries around the world, no way that youngs men students or politicians should look at this matter.CNRP should met this preminister talk about.KRANHUN EASAN so sad

Anonymous said...

ហ៊ុន សែនពិតជាមនុស្សមិនមានការខ្មាសអៀន
មិនព្រមទទួលខ្លួនជាចោរ តាំងខ្លួនជាមនុស្សដឹកនាំ
ដ៏ឆ្កួតនេះមិនដឹងគិតយល់យ៉ាងណាទេ ហួស
និយាយអ្នកដឹកនាំតែងមានសភាពបែបនេះ ហើយ
ខ្មែរក៏ថោកទាបតាមហ្នឹងដែរ ។

Anonymous said...

i love japan. japan is the best asian country that can help cambodia with development, too. thank you, japan.

Anonymous said...

ជយោ! សមេ្តចបណ្ឌិតអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន វរ្ម័នទី១ ជាទេវតានៃកម្ពុជា!!!

Anonymous said...

Japanese Prim Mister is smart and let the Ignorant and Uneducated person HUN SEN lie and cheat easily ? When HUN SEN met Japanese Prim Minister, HUN SEN promised to have a good relation with Japan when HUN SEN met Chinese Prim Minister Hun Sen promised to have a good relation with China this is they Way Vietcong teaching HUN SEN how to bag more money from those two countries ?

Anonymous said...

MORE JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP BRIDGES?

Anonymous said...

ជយោ! សមេ្តចខ្វាក់ បណ្ឌិតអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ខ្វាង វរ្ម័នទី១ ជាទេវតាយួននៃកម្ពុជា!!!

Anonymous said...

*អាស្វា CNRP វាកំពុងតែអូសបន្លាយពេលវេលា
បន្លំស៊ីឡាកក្រុមបាតុកម្ម
ចលនាអំណាចពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរ ?

ជយោ! សមេ្តចបណ្ឌិតអគ្គមហាសេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន វរ្ម័នទី១ ជាទេវតានៃកម្ពុជា!!!