Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs advanced ASEAN-Japan partnership on public health, sustainable development, and cybersecurity at the 37th ASEAN-Japan Forum

On 20 June 2022, H.E. Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Relations, co-chaired the 37th ASEAN-Japan Forum with H.E. Mr. YAMADA Shigeo, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, via videoconference. Senior Officials of other ASEAN Member States and a representative of the ASEAN Secretariat also attended.

The Meeting discussed progress on ASEAN-Japan cooperation in several areas, including political-security, economic, and socio-cultural, as well as cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and preparations for the 50th annivesary of ASEAN-Japan relations in 2023. The Meeting also exchanged views on how to move forward ASEAN-Japan strategic partnership towards sustainable recovery and long-term resilience.

Thailand emphasised the need to advance ASEAN-Japan cooperation on public health to build up the region's capacity in addressing future public health emergencies as well as to foster cooperation on sustainable development, including in areas related to the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model. Thailand also pushed forward cooperation to enhance the capacity of cybersecurity professionals through the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC) in Bangkok.

The Meeting exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the situations in the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, and Ukraine.

The year 2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations. Thailand reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate on preparations for this milestone celebration, with a view to advancing ASEAN-Japan strategic partnership further in all dimensions.