The Japanese Foreign Minister will meet his counterparts from Mekong sub-region countries in Siem Riep, Cambodia in October to discuss cooperation development programmes, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said on July 27.
The meeting will focus on regional links via cooperation programmes, including the Ayeyawady-Chao Phya-Mekong and Emerald Triangle economic cooperation strategy.
He added that the event is a preparation for a high-ranking meeting slated to take place by year’s end between Japan and five Mekong sub-region countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Japanese investors have also asked for a meeting with officials from these five countries on the sidelines of the ASEAN Economic Ministerial Meeting, scheduled for mid-August in Bangkok, Thai FM said the same day.
Japanese investors plan to expand trade and investment activities in ASEAN to compensate for the trade deficit between Japan and developed countries.
In order to narrow the gap between ASEAN’s old and new members, Japan has pledged 20 million USD for development projects in Mekong sub-region countries. The country set up the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund in 2006./.