Free and Open Indo-Pacific
Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP; Japanese: 自由で開かれたインド太平洋, romanized: jiyū de hirakareta Indotaiheiyō)[1] is an umbrella term that encompasses Indo-Pacific-specific strategies of countries with similar interests in the region.
[6] Since then, multiple countries in regions from the European Union to Southeast Asia, have referred to the Indo-Pacific in national security or foreign policy documents.
Historians and political scientists have shown that the "Indo-Pacific" emerged in the context of Weimar German geopolitics in the 1920s-1930s, and since then spread to Japan through Karl Haushofer's intervention.
[11] During the inter-war period, Japan also embraced "the concept of the Indo-Pacific to pursue its vision of Lebensraum," leading to invasions in the Philippines, China, and Southeast Asia.
[12] Lewis Tambs, National Security Council at the White House and diplomat under the Reagan presidency,[13] updated and wrote its preface to the 2002 publication.
"It was the base model of FOIP according to Keiichi Ichikawa, the diplomat who had been in charge of Abe's Policy Coordination Division,[18] and Katsuyuki Yakushiji [ja], one of the consulted experts.
Japan, as one of the oldest sea-faring democracies in Asia, should play a greater role—alongside Australia, India, and the US—in preserving the common good in both regions"In January 2013, the Japanese government had prepared a PM Abe's speech on "Five New Principles" to be delivered in Jakarta.
However, as PM Abe had to go back to Japan before the scheduled date to respond to In Amenas hostage crisis, the speech was not realized; instead its script was made available.
[32] According to defense minister Rajnath Singh, the Indian government stands for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific as it is important for economic development of the region and the wider global community.
[38] The Biden administration had intended to conclude the negotiations during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, but reversed course following opposition from Democratic members of Congress including Sherrod Brown.
[50] And in August 2018, Retno formally presented the Indonesian Indo-Pacific Cooperation Concept to the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the East Asia Summit (EAS).
[52] While it has yet to produce a definitive Indo-Pacific strategy document as of April 2023[update], the administration of Bongbong Marcos has discussed intensifying cooperation with the U.S. government, whose officials have made agreements with the Philippines on energy, telecommunications, human rights, education, food security, and nuclear technology sales.
[73] Political scientist Sharifah Munirah Alatas has argued that the origin of the term "Indo-Pacific" was Euro-centric, so it lacked the input of Asian countries in a broader anticolonial context.
[75] China's partner, Russia, also echoes Chinese views,[76] describing it as a "closed and exclusive group structure", and called for an "equal, open, and inclusive Asia-Pacific security system that does not target third countries".
