Britain and Japan agree to deepen their trade and security cooperation
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Foreign minister Raab thanked Motegi for Japan's support for Britain's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a multilateral trade deal that Britain sees as a major part of its post-Brexit push to secure more trade and diplomatic influence in the Indo-Pacific region
Britain and Japan agreed to deepen their trade and security cooperation, the British foreign office said in a statement after a meeting between Dominic Raab and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in Kent on Monday.
Foreign minister Raab thanked Motegi for Japan's support for Britain's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a multilateral trade deal that Britain sees as a major part of its post-Brexit push to secure more trade and diplomatic influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
"The UK and Japan also agreed the basis for deepening further trade and security cooperation," the foreign office said in the statement, which was issued following bilateral talks ahead of a G7 foreign ministers' meeting.
Raab also highlighted a British aircraft carrier deployment to Asian waters as an example of Britain's commitment to the region. The visit is likely to be closely watched as concern grows in Japan over any threat posed to neighboring Taiwan by China.
"The Foreign Ministers also explored opportunities for increased collaboration in areas of shared interest and where the two countries can share expertise such as economic security, advanced technologies, health and science," the foreign office said.
After its Brexit withdrawal from the European Union, Britain is reorienting its foreign policy towards the Asia-Pacific region, and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will also play host this week to ministers from Australia, South Korea and the ASEAN bloc.
When the G7 ministers reconvene for formal talks on Tuesday and Wednesday, they will have an on-site testing facility and Perspex screens to separate them in meetings, and Britain has enforced limits on the size of each delegation.
"The meetings will be a demonstration of how to conduct diplomatic business safely and successfully as we recover from the pandemic," the Foreign Office said.
Britain is also gearing up to host the UN's next climate change summit, COP 26, in Glasgow in November.
(With inputs from agencies)