Jakarta, 9 July 2026: While the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) differ in their approaches, they share common principles that complement one another in strengthening regional resilience and prosperity. These include openness, transparency, inclusivity, and a rules-based order, which underpin the region's strengths.

Speaking at the inaugural lecture of the ERIA ASEAN AOIP Lecture Series under the ERIA School of Government, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn highlighted the significant potential to translate the principles of both frameworks into practical co-operation in areas such as maritime co-operation, sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, and supply chain resilience.

Dr Kao also noted that ASEAN and Japanese leaders reaffirmed the complementarity between the AOIP and FOIP at the 28th ASEAN–Japan Summit in Kuala Lumpur last October. He emphasised that the alignment between the two frameworks demonstrates that a durable regional order is built on the ability of different visions to pursue a common purpose. In this context, he noted that approximately 81% of the action lines under the ASEAN–Japan Strategic Plan had been completed as of June.

The programme also featured the ERIA–Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) Special Symposium, commemorating the 10th anniversary of Japan's FOIP strategy. The symposium explored how the principles of the AOIP and FOIP can complement one another in addressing the region's evolving challenges amid an increasingly fragmented global landscape.

In his keynote address, Mr Shingo Miyamoto, Director-General for Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlined the evolution of the FOIP vision against the backdrop of intensifying geopolitical competition, accelerating technological change, and the growing geopolitical and economic influence of the Global South.

Mr Miyamoto reaffirmed that Japan and ASEAN are partners in resilience and prosperity, emphasising that the AOIP and FOIP are complementary rather than competing frameworks. He also noted that, during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Hanoi in May, Japan updated its FOIP vision by placing greater emphasis on two key concepts: countries' freedom to make their own decisions and resilience.

The symposium brought together regional scholars, diplomats, and policy experts to discuss practical co-operation in areas including maritime security, economic resilience, connectivity, and regional governance. Speakers included Ambassador Takio Yamada, Ambassador Siswo Pramono, Dr Chheang Vannarith, and Dr Maria Monica Wihardja.