Ms. Takaichi recalled her “determination to assume Japan’s responsibilities and, indeed, to play an even more active role than ever in building an international order based on freedom, openness, diversity, inclusiveness and the rule of law” during a speech to students in Hanoi.
 In a context of “intensifying geopolitical competition” and “accelerating technological innovation”, the head of the Japanese government urged Asian countries to strengthen their “resilience” and their ability to “determine their own future”. 
The two countries are concerned about Beijing’s territorial claims in the China Sea, and seek to protect themselves from the consequences of United States customs policies by expanding their economic and security ties.
Hanoi, however, seeks to maintain good relations with all the major world powers thanks to its traditional approach of “bamboo diplomacy”, while Tokyo has seen its already frosty relations with Beijing deteriorate significantly in recent months.
First mooted a decade ago by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, mentor of Ms. Sanae Takaichi, the idea of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region has since been adopted by many partners and allies of the United States seeking to contain China’s influence in the region.
Beijing denounced this initiative as a thinly veiled attempt to promote confrontation between blocs, with the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, accusing Tokyo of “rekindling the confrontation between camps”.
In her speech, Ms. Takaichi, without directly citing Beijing, warned against “excessive dependence on a single country for essential goods”, saying that this often results from “abnormally low prices” and calling for a “level playing field”.
She also stressed the importance of open sea lanes, saying “regional supply chains rely on safe and free navigation at sea.”
On the occasion of her first visit to Vietnam, the Prime Minister signed agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in energy security, supply chain resilience and innovation. 
The two countries agreed to work more closely on “economic security, including (in the sector of) energy, important mineral resources, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and space,” Ms. Takaichi said after her meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
Japan is the Southeast Asian country’s largest provider of official development assistance as well as a key investor and trading partner.
Last year, for the first time, bilateral trade exceeded $50 billion.
The two countries also have a strategic partnership which they agreed on Saturday to bring into “a new phase of development”, indicated Mr. Hung after the meeting.
He said that six agreements covering technology, (capacity to) prepare for climate change as well as information and communication” had been signed.
The two leaders also “reaffirmed the importance of resolving disputes in the South China Sea by peaceful means, based on international law,” he added.
Last November, Sanae Takaichi, whose country hosts 60,000 American troops, suggested that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, triggering a furious reaction from Beijing, which saw it as an attack on its sovereignty.
