3.1.4. Free and Open Indo-Pacific

The region has also witnessed another initiative called the FOIP, as a mechanism complementary to other initiatives for infrastructure investment. In Japan, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled the FOIP concept in August 2006, just before his first term as Japan's leader, and formally laid it down as a strategy in 2016 [28,29]. In late 2017, the US also launched a new FOIP [30], but it was not until 2019 that the concept was actually formalized [31].

Extending from Japan in the east to India in the west, the FOIP involves middle and major powers such as Japan, the US, Australia, and India; and other regional partners. It seeks to build a vision for Asia established around the concept of a strong coalition of likeminded regional democracies. However, a host of scholars and analysts have viewed the FOIP as a mechanism that provides the region with alternatives to China's BRI [32–35] or for countering China's influence [30,36–39]. The Government of Japan, nevertheless, views this differently. The FOIP is an inclusive concept that ultimately aims to incorporate China and other powers in an inclusive political and economic system in the Indo-Pacific [28]. It is also a comprehensive framework or vision for Japanese regional policies, mostly its economic and development cooperation, such as infrastructure development and support for regional connectivity [40–42].

Despite different views, the Mekong countries welcomed the FOIP. For example, they welcomed Japan's commitment to support their efforts made in line with ASEAN's Outlook on the Indo-Pacific [41,43]. Perhaps they saw this as another option for quality infrastructure projects. As Swaine [38] argued, infrastructure development initiatives under the FOIP could prove instrumental for both engaging and challenging China by advancing common principles for economic development and enabling developing countries to choose their own economic paths free from coercion. In this respect, the cooperative and competitive elements of the China challenge could merge as the allies pursue dialogue with Beijing on rules and norms while attempting to dilute its influence.
