MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said his scheduled trilateral meeting with the United States and Japan in Washington D.C. is for security and freedom of navigation in the West Philippines Sea.
According to the Chief Executive, the essence of the discussions with US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region and not to win any conflict in the region.
“Well, this is essentially an agreement between the United States, Japan and the Philippines – our cooperation in terms of maintaining security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. That is the essence of it,” Marcos said.
He added: “Of course, it will contain more details in the sense of how, in terms of cooperation, it will be implemented. That is what we are going to discuss when we go to Washington and speak with Prime Minister Kishida and with President Biden.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced last month about the trilateral meeting between the three leaders on April 11 (April 12 in the Philippines).
“At the summit, the leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” she said.
“The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan,” Jean-Pierre added.
Also to be discussed by the three leaders is “trilateral cooperation” to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.
The USA, Japan, and the Philippines have been the most vocal critics of China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea or West Philippines Sea.
The three nations have intensified their security alliances with Japan and the Philippines holding ongoing negotiations for Reciprocal Access Agreement that will allow larger numbers of Japanese Defense forces to enter the Philippines for joint training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and to help respond to natural calamities./PN
