Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India-ASEAN ties are based on “shared values and common aspirations.” Speaking virtually at the ASEAN Future Forum, the EAM noted that a “strong and unified” ASEAN is key to the emerging security infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific. “ASEAN is at the heart of our Act East Policy and is a crucial pillar in India’s wider Indo-pacific vision,” he asserted.
In a reference to China, Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday that a $8 billion defence package approved by the US House of Representatives over the weekend will “strengthen the deterrence against authoritarianism in the West Pacific ally chain.” The funding will “help ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and also boost confidence in the region,” he added.
The Philippines said it has observed an increased presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the South China Sea, coinciding with the commencement of its Balikatan joint military exercises with the US this week. According to Philippine Navy Commodore Roy Trinidad, a total of 124 Chinese vessels of various types have been detected in the West Philippine Sea, Manila’s designated area within the South China Sea, since Monday.
A North Korean delegation headed by Yun Jong Ho, the minister for external economic relations, is currently visiting Iran. Both countries have long been under suspicion of collaborating on ballistic missile programmes, potentially sharing technical knowledge and components for their development.