Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union held their first-ever vice foreign ministerial talks Thursday, agreeing to advance specific cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Japanese government.
The officials shared the view that it is "meaningful" to discuss how to maintain the free and open international order based on the rule of law, the Foreign Ministry said, apparently alluding to China's maritime assertiveness in the area.
The virtual gathering came as European nations have been focusing on reinforcing their security partnership with the four Asia-Pacific countries, especially after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and European External Action Service Secretary General Stefano Sannino, who is on his trip to Tokyo, met online with their counterparts — South Korea's Cho Hyun-dong, Australia's Jan Adams and New Zealand's Chris Seed.
The five participants also talked about the involvement of the European Union and like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministry said.
NATO views the four Asia-Pacific countries as partner nations. Their leaders were invited for the first time to a summit of the trans-Atlantic military alliance in Madrid in June last year.