by PNA
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe embarked Thursday on a trip to Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines to deepen economic and security ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), his third visit to the fast-growing region since retaking the premiership late last year.
The Japanese leader's three-day trip is part of his continuing efforts to build ties with countries that share with Japan such values as democracy and a market economy, a diplomatic initiative widely seen as aimed at containing China.
Abe left Tokyo on a government plane Thursday morning for Kuala Lumpur, where he will meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak later in the day.
Abe is also scheduled to meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on Friday and Philippine President Benigno Aquino in Manila on Saturday.
Also Friday in Singapore, Abe plans to meet with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, who will be in the city-state after visiting India.
Abe, who became prime minister in late December, made his first trip abroad as the new Japanese leader in January, visiting three of the 10 ASEAN members -- Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. In May, he visited another ASEAN country, Myanmar.
Abe is keen on strengthening ties between Japan and Southeast Asia, partly because this year marks the 40th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.
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Topic: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Travels to Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore (Read 533 times)