Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (centre) called South-East Asia a “growth centre” that is driving the world economy. -- PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO (AFP): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba left Sunday for a four-day trip to Vietnam and the Philippines, as Tokyo seeks to shore up regional ties after Donald Trump's tariff onslaught.
Ishiba's trip comes after China's President Xi Jinping conducted his own Southeast Asia tour, with Beijing trying to position itself as a stable alternative to the United States as leaders battle to counter Trump's tariffs.
