ERIA and JIIA Mark 10 Years of FOIP with Symposium on Strengthening AOIP–FOIP Synergies

Jakarta, 9 July 2026: ERIA, through its School of Government (SoG), hosted the ERIA-JIIA FOIP-AOIP Special Symposium to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision. The symposium was held in conjunction with the inaugural ERIA-ASEAN AOIP Lecture, delivered by H.E. Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Co-hosted with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), the symposium explored how the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and FOIP can reinforce one another in responding to an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.

In his opening remarks, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe highlighted the symposium's objective of revisiting the AOIP and FOIP in light of today's geopolitical realities and identifying practical avenues to deepen their synergies.

'The symposium will revisit the AOIP and the FOIP in light of today's geopolitical realities and explore ways to deepen their synergies,' President Watanabe said.

He added that the discussions would contribute valuable perspectives on translating shared principles into practical co-operation across the Indo-Pacific.

The keynote address was delivered by Mr Shingo Miyamoto, Director-General for Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He outlined the evolution of Japan's Indo-Pacific strategy amid growing geopolitical competition, rapid technological change, and the increasing importance of the Global South.

'The Updated FOIP has a clear focus: helping each country in the region acquire the resilience and capability to preserve the freedom to decide for oneself across economic, social, and security domains. Ultimately, Japan and ASEAN are partners destined to become more resilient and prosperous together under the shared fundamental principles of the FOIP and AOIP visions,' Mr Miyamoto said.

The panel discussion was moderated by H.E. Takio Yamada, Executive Director of the JIIA Center for Global Outreach and Executive Fellow, and featured H.E. Amb. Dr Siswo Pramono, Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia and Vanuatu; H.E. Dr Chheang Vannarith, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Assembly of Cambodia; and Dr Maria Monica Wihardja, Fellow and Co-Coordinator of the Media, Technology and Society Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

The panellists examined opportunities to strengthen co-operation between the AOIP and FOIP while preserving ASEAN Centrality. Discussions highlighted the importance of translating shared strategic principles into practical initiatives in areas including digital transformation, maritime governance, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, and green development. The speakers also emphasised the value of maintaining an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture while encouraging greater co-operation through regional mechanisms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).

The subsequent discussion with participants focused on maritime security, minilateral co-operation, and ASEAN's engagement with emerging regional security architectures. Speakers considered the role of partnerships such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the importance of keeping vital sea lines of communication open, and opportunities for practical co-operation in areas including critical minerals, decarbonisation, disaster relief, and regional resilience.

The symposium brought together ambassadors, diplomatic representatives from Indo-Pacific partner countries, ASEAN stakeholders, scholars, and policy experts. The event underscored ERIA's commitment to providing a platform for policy dialogue and evidence-based research that supports practical regional co-operation and addresses the Indo-Pacific's evolving strategic landscape.